Brady and Berta Boyd

Brady and Berta Boyd

   happyhugo

Copyright 02/10/2018

Western, Romance

131,254 words

Readers score 8.56

Brady, a fur trapper for years, tries for one more. He found a lost woman alone who becomes his partner. So begins the story of their life together for the next several decades from the 1850’s onward. Who knew this life would take them to Wyoming for a winning hand at poker, and later to California to a Spanish land grant. And yes, they all carried guns, women as well as men and did use them.

Chapter One

Brady Boyd, that’s me, and I’m Brady to everyone. I am headed for the Montana Mountains and the trapping it provides. This is a little about my past and if you are reading this, it means I have a future. This is my story.

I had two big Missouri pack mules loaded with supplies for the winter and a gelding I trusted to carry me forth and back. I carried a double bit axe, a three foot piece of saw made from a worn out crosscut and a spy glass. The saw had clearers between the teeth to cut wood fast. I carried a bastard file to keep the saw and the axe sharp.

My long gun was a double barreled rifle that I took off a dead Indian three years ago. Where he got it, I had no idea. He objected to me being on his hunting grounds, but he didn’t have as many bullets poured as I had. I was looking to keep my scalp and I walked away with my hair still attached and the rifled gun in my hand.

The caliber of the gun was unknown, and I surmised some small-town gunsmith had made the piece. The pouch hanging from the Indian’s neck hadn’t stopped my bullet before it went through his breast bone and that was for certain. In the pouch there was a bullet mold to make bullets, and a mite of powder to go along with a few lead shavings stuck in the bottom. The Indian was out of everything including his soul. That had gone to the happy hunting grounds. I prayed so, for he was a worthy foe.

This year I also had a five shot Colt Paterson, caliber .36, at my side, and I planned to draw and dry fire it until I got faster than the man I hoped never to have to face. That was my aim anyway.

My animals were loaded down heavy. I couldn’t pay Fort Union Post prices where most trappers provisioned up before heading into the mountains. Prices there would be ten times what I paid in Saint Louis. I had spent the summer in and around the jumping off place and at the last minute decided I would make this my last trip up into the mountains for fur.

It was time I settled down. I had been putting it off because I hated to give up the freedom. Women were scarce and I didn’t know if I would find one to my liking. I saw how my Ma bossed my Pa around and I wasn’t going to settle for a woman like she was. I was sixteen and man-sized when I got sick of Ma bossing me in the same fashion as she did Pa. I moved out and on, making my way west.

I have been up and over the mountain since then. I had some regrets as I made my way, especially when I sometime found myself cold, wet, hungry, and maybe a little homesick. I first stopped at a holding in Ohio and helped out a farmer. He was old and sickly and needed a hand. He lasted three years. His youngish widow climbed into the loft three weeks after we planted him. 

She didn’t have anything I wanted, so I left of a sudden. I did gain some from my three year stopping. The couple were well educated and had books, all about history and such gave me a sense of what the world was like outside of my knowledge of the time. 

More valuable and useful knowledge came to me of the wild western lands from the trapper who lived with his sister down the nearby creek. He was crippled up and couldn’t travel, but he could tell some yarns. I took them all for true. I listened and I headed west when I ran out on the widow. Those yarns–lies or truth—, I would check to see which.

It took me another year to work my way to the jumping off place and the doorway to the west. I hung around there for several months. I had learned to listen to what was being said by anyone who was talking, knowing not all of it was brag. It was hard for one to listen if he was the one talking so I rarely said much. I headed up the Missouri River the year I was twenty-one. 

Brigades were made up in Saint Louis to work for the fur companies where most were headquartered. I became one of several trappers all heading into the same area of the wilderness together. We took boat up the Missouri River for Fort Union, a trading post where white and red man came together to trade.

Trappers rendezvoused at Fort Union on the way in, selling to trappers their over-priced supplies. On the way out, fur buyers were there waiting to snatch up the trapper’s take of the winter’s effort, giving little for the season’s work. Trappers were thirsty for whiskey and often ended up broke a day after coming out of the woods. That first year, my listening to yarns was paying off.

Everyone took me for a tenderfoot, but I was a tenderfoot with a head full of knowledge about where we were headed in the far country. No, I had never been up there, but I had a map in my head. That old trapper had drawn his travels in the dust while he was yarning. Lewis and Clark had paved the way and opened the country forty years before. The old trapper had gone in there shortly after they came out.

Five years I trapped. Furs were getting scarcer and scarcer and the Indians were getting more and more upset. I was holding my own and saying this just to prove I was still alive to say it. That gun still had some good rifling in it and was accurate as hell. I shot it off only when necessary. I rarely fired it at an animal unless it was charging me. Bear or wolf, for certain and a time or two I guess I could have collected me a scalp or three of someone who ran on two legs.

This year the packet me and my animals were on, grounded on a sandbar two thirds up the river. If rain didn’t raise the water soon, I knew we would be late getting to the trapping grounds. I remembered back to that old trapper in Ohio. He had mentioned a hidden valley in the short hills of the Montana Mountains. I didn’t know how long it would take to get me there by horseback, but if I started now I would get here sometime.

I was above the Black Hills and the going was good. I could cut off a hundred miles and more by leaving the river where I did bypassing Fort Union. I’d see the post in the spring on the way out before heading down river. That is if I still had my scalp and had a good winter collecting pelts. I’d be traveling light, going downriver after selling my furs at the rendezvous.

I would look to see if I could find that valley on the way in. If it looked promising, I might winter there. I was a free trapper this year and not beholden to any of the fur companies. I had lain in my own supplies so I wouldn’t have to pay the high prices the fur companies charged. This year I might make a few dollars. Two years out of the five I had been trapping were bust for me. Last year had been real good. I made out better gambling though on the waterfront in Saint Louis during the off season than by trapping. Both were dangerous and you had to keep your gun handy and your pocket buttoned tight.

I jumped my horse and mules off the boat and swam them to shore. I hired the ship’s punt to take off my supplies. Noon I was loaded up and set off to the west. I ran onto occasional cattle outfit that were trying to run some stock.  There were settlements here and there as well. The country appeared more heavily populated now than it was just five years ago. You couldn’t go twenty miles without running into some soul. That would change as I got further away from the river.

All the huts and log houses had holes out of which to fire a gun. Indians were apt to go on the prowl anytime. I didn’t plan on staying in the Dakotas any longer than it took me to get through. The Sioux were in an uproar over their tribal lands being infringed on. The government would make treaties with tribes, but almost certainly they would be soon broken. Not by the Redskins always, but by the Whites looking to settle on land they thought was free. This was another reason for me to make this my last expedition for I knew real trouble was coming.

I crossed into Montana well south of the Fort Union trading post and kept going west. I was a little nervous. The supplies and the two mules carrying them were worth a fortune to the right person. The old trapper told me to cross one of the Yellowstone River tributaries and keep on going for three days travel by horse or seven to ten by foot.

He told me of landmarks he remembered. That conversation took place seven years ago and he been out of the mountains ten years before that. I was to hit the mountains and keep to the eastern edge until I saw a peak that looked like a crow’s beak. Head for that and work your way up the second little valley still going in the direction of the peak. He said when you came to the head of the valley, turn right for a couple of hundred yards.

I was getting skittish. I had seen dust out on the prairie coming along behind me the last two days. I had to slow down because I didn’t want to miss any landmarks. Finally I spotted my destination, but I didn’t travel up the valley to the peak. I wanted to find out what was coming along behind.

I hitched the mules and my horse. I turned and at twilight made my way on foot toward where I knew the stranger’s camp would be. At full dark I was fifty yards shy of coming up to where I could hear the camp being made. Brush was thick and I had to thread my way though it by feel. It wasn’t long before I could see the twinkling of the fire. I guess there was someone else besides me being guided here toward those sitting by the lighted fire.

Suddenly there was a rush of a horse coming in and then two gunshots. There was a high pitched scream and it sounded like a woman. I kept inching forward until I could see what was going on. There was a man’s body lying almost in the campfire.

There was a big rough character standing over him, “Come here, woman, I bin following your cart all the way from Fort Union. Your man wasn’t much, and I knew I’d get you sometime. Lost your trail a few times, but I knew you were out here. C’mere.”

The woman shook her head no. Tears were running down her face. Her hands were in the pockets of her kirtle. She had leggings or men’s pants on under this. She stood her ground until he told her he was going to whip the hell of her. She raised her head and slowly made her way toward him. I was about to take up for her when he grabbed her by the shoulders to pull her into him.

It looked like he was going to kiss her. He got kissed alright. There was the muffled sound of a gunshot. That was with her left hand. Out came the other hand, holding a two shot small gun. Not very big, but it could sure mess up a man’s face. He was done for and toppled into the fire. She just stood there looking down at him. She went over to her man and looked to see if he had any life left in him. He didn’t. There was a trunk that had been pulled from the cart to sit on. She put her guns on that and sat down.
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I had no idea what was going through her head. I wondered if she realized what kind of trouble she was in. She was a woman out here in the foothills and leagues from anywhere all alone. I’d like to help her, but I didn’t want to die doing it. She was damned quick and more than deadly in my book. My break came. The fire got to the gun the killer had been using. The fire set it off scaring the bejesus out of both of us. I jumped but didn’t move.

The woman took off running out of the firelight. She was gone ten minutes and slowly came back wrapping a blanket around her. She sat down on the ground on the far side of the trunk. Head was down and she not moving at all. I watched her for a few minutes. The man lying in the fire was beginning to smell like spitted meat and burning leather. The woman pulled the blanket up over her head.

I walked over and picked up her guns. I looked at them. I didn’t recognize the two barreled one. The one she first fired was a Colt .28 Baby Paterson. Her man had a pistol and I scooped that up sticking it in my belt. That was the same as mine, a .36 Paterson. The gun in the fire now wasn’t worth the bother. There was a blanket on the ground and I spread that over her man.

I grabbed the arm of the burning man and pulled him across the camp and out into the dark. It was sandy some and I scooped some on him to put the fire out. It cut down on the smell considerably. When I got back to the camp fire she was sitting on the trunk watching me.

“Who are you? Are you with him?” She looked toward the brush.

“Nope, I was just passing by. You took care of things pretty good so I didn’t interfere. I was too late to do anything for your man and I’m sorry about that. Where were you headed for?”

“Oregon and family.”

“You’d never have made it ‘cause it’s too late in the season. Snow will be in the high passes already. I don’t know what you have for food in your cart, but it wouldn’t have been enough even if the weather didn’t hold you up.”

 “I wondered. My brother, Felix said it was easy. It hasn’t been bad so far.”

“You haven’t reached the mountains yet and the cold isn’t on us. They’ll be twenty-five feet of snow in some places. You had better turn back.”

“What about you?” What are you doing out here? Are you alone?”

“I’m alone. I’m a trapper, trapping for pelts. I have my outfit a half mile from here. I was just ahead of you. I saw your dust coming across the prairie behind me. It bothered me some, so I came down to look you over.”

“Are you going to be here all winter? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“I suppose it is if a person isn’t careful. Don’t worry about it, you should be worrying about yourself

“What are my options? It doesn’t look like there are any good ones.”

“Well, if it was me and I wanted to get out of here, I’d head for Wyoming and try to make the Mormon Crossing, or you might make Denver if you hurry.”

“Can’t I stay with you? I can cook and keep your place clean.”

“Yes, and eat half my food. You have two horses of your own and that killer’s mount is around here some place. That’s yours by right. Feed has to be found for them and my three.” Tears started falling. I got up and left her sitting there. She was nothing to me. Ma had used tears to keep Pa in line and that’s why I took off from home.

“What’s your name?” she startled me when she came up close.

“Brady Boyd. What’s yours?”

“Berta Gorski, you can call me Berta. My folks were from Poland.”

“Uh huh. I’m Yankee from way back.” I made the comment, “Your tears dried up sudden.” I let that statement lie out there.

“I’m a woman and have to use what I have. About all I have left now is my body.”

“You want to put that up?”

“No, not really, but I suppose I will have to.”

“I tell you what. Moon will be up in a bit. I’m going up to my camp and see to my animals. I’ll be back in the morning. I’ll think on your problem. I’ll help bury your brother and see if I can round up that stray horse. If you stay out here in the wilderness, you might want to plan on sleeping away from your campfire. This way strangers aren’t so apt to sneak up on you.

“Thanks Brady.”

“Nite, Berta.” I found where I’d pinned my horse. I moved the stakes for my horse and mules. There was a seep I got some water out of with a metal cup. Took a couple pieces of jerky to eat and made do. I didn’t sleep much thinking about the woman that was downhill from me. She wasn’t one to rattle easy and that was for sure. Killed a man and was more bothered by the smell of him burning than in the deed itself. Maybe I should figure out some way to keep her around or maybe I should leave her and run like hell.

There was a tiny round-pointed shovel lying beside her brother’s body. I had the grave half dug by the time Berta came out of the brush. I knew where her bed was for I had looked in on her wrapped up all in blankets and had seen nothing except for a little of her face. I still didn’t know whether she was pretty or ugly. Didn’t matter, pretty women had an easier life if they were good. If they weren’t good they were trouble and it was usually of their own making.

Berta didn’t watch me dig the grave. She put an enameled pot on the fire I started for her. I spent an hour and got the grave down about two and a half feet when I hit ledge. There were enough flat stone around to place on the grave to keep animals from digging up the body. Berta was putting together breakfast to eat after her brother was buried. I cut a stick off a twisted tree branch I had brought down off the hillside with me. I sharpened one end and shaved off a flat spot with my axe on the other. I took an iron poker and burned the name ‘Gorski’ reading down it.

Felix Gorski wasn’t a big man. I easily could carry the body to the grave. I didn’t cover the face. “Berta, we can’t wash him all over, but maybe we should wash his face. Would you do that?”

She did and she gently kissed her brother’s brow, being the one to now cover his face. I lowered the blanket covered burden into the grave. “I’ll recite the Twenty-third Psalm if you don’t mind.” After I finished the recitation, I said, “Lord, I believe this man’s soul is already with you. For his remains, it is ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Amen.” Filling in the hole I then drove the stick into the ground. Putting my arm around Berta, now sadly weeping, I hugged her momentarily for consolation. I then guided her back to the campfire. 

The water was hot and Berta put some coffee into it. The tin frying pan received the bacon while she whipped up a batter of flour, baking soda and water, mixing a small amount of bacon grease with it. When the bacon was done she made pancakes. “There’s only a bit of sorghum. Brother said we would look for a bee tree for sweetening after this was gone.”

“That’s fine. I do have some honey at camp. Coffee is good. I like it strong. You’re a good cook.”

“Thank you.” Breakfast was finished in silence. 

Berta spoke, “What are we going to do with that thing you dragged out of sight last night?”

“Cover it with some stone. I’ll clean out his pockets for you and take his boots. Is there anything else you want off him?”

“I don’t want anything at all.”

“Don’t be too hasty. You can trade the boots to some Indians. Put any money I find in your pocket. I’ll gather up his horse and see what’s in his pack. I saw it browsing with your two hobbled animals on the way down this morning.” I paused and then said, “We had better talk a minute and decide what you are going to do. If you decide to get out of here, you had better travel light and go fast. There isn’t much time before snow fall.”

“I asked you last night if I couldn’t stay with you for the winter.”

“Thought about it some. This will only work if we can get rid three of the horses. The only way we can do that is to trade them to the Indians. I have a big horse for my mount. I also have two big Missouri mules for pack animals. I don’t want to get rid of them, so it is your three that has to go.”

“Two only, I’m not claiming the killer’s.” 

“He is yours by rite of combat. You fought a fight and you won. If you don’t take ownership of it, the Indians will look down on you. You have enough to make up for as it is. Squaws don’t have much value.”

Berta burst out laughing. “So now I’m a squaw, am I? Whose, may I ask?”

“In front of the world, mine I guess. I’ll not make demands on you. You must remember if you stay with me, you are going to be with me for six months and maybe more. We have to get along and that is something very hard to do being as close as we will be. I don’t even have a shelter to live in yet. I’ve heard of best friends going into a cabin in the fall and hating each other so much by February they tried to kill each other.

“I’ll concede that you can be a big help to me ’cause there is a lot more to trapping than most people realize.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t have very many metal traps with me. I have to make snares and dead falls to trap the animals. There is the skinning and the stretching of the pelts. Setting traps is an art in itself. Animals are leery of strange scents and won’t come near a trap if they suspect anything out of the ordinary. Remember in the wild, each animal has some predator that is after them. Think back to last night. Man is the highest in the order and they are just as apt to prey on each other.

“How do you catch anything then?”

“Through experience and being smarter than what you are trapping. Man has been wearing furs for eons.”

“Brady you amaze me. You are so articulate and intelligent. How old are you?”

“Twenty six. How old are you?”

“A few months younger than you, maybe. I was twenty five-six months ago. Where did you go to school?”

“I’m from the State of New York. I left there when I was sixteen. I’ve been banging around all over for the last ten years.  I can read and write, but I’m not any great shucks at it either.”

“I wouldn’t know about that. Felix and I were from a little town near Chicago. Our parents died in a fire when we were in our teens. I could have gotten married a dozen times, but for some reason I didn’t go through with it. Guess I’m going to be a spinster all of my life. Felix heard from an uncle of ours out in Oregon. He promised us some land if we came out. It took us two years to get enough money for the cart and what’s in it. I guess we didn’t plan our trip very well at all.”

“That happens to a lot of people. I’m really sorry you lost your brother. I guess I still have a Ma and Pa. I never liked them much and that’s why I left. I never had a sister. You can be mine for the winter. Next spring we can figure a way to get you out of here safely. How’s that for planning?”

“Okay, my new brother, it’s a deal.

I examined the cart. It was sturdy and well made. Basically it was a box set on an axel between two wheels. There was a single pair of shafts for one horse to pull. Sometimes I had seen the same thing being pulled by people, a horse or ox. There could be room for two people to stand side by side between the short shafts and push against a bar. 

If it was a heavy load, sometimes people helped by pulling with a neck yoke like an ox. The Mormons were traveling this way to some place in Utah. They mostly kept to themselves. They called themselves The Saints, but they looked no different than me. I guess they had troubles back in Ohio and that’s why they were looking for a new place to settle.

I rounded up the three horses not mine. The cart horse was medium sized. One of my mules would make a good replacement pulling the cart. Felix' mount wasn’t anything special. According to its teeth it wasn’t too old but looked in poor shape. The killers horse was bigger and a handsome animal. He was well built and looked like a good traveler. Berta was going to get a lot of pelts in trade for this one.

We packed up the camp ready to look for a place for us to winter. First I stripped the killer. I took the boots off him. No matter what Berta said they would bring two or three prime pelts in trade with the Indians. When I looked in his pockets, I found three different wallets. This person wasn’t just a killer looking for a woman; he was a robber as well. 

There was his wallet of course. It had sixty seven dollars in coins. Money was still in the other wallets. A few gold pieces in each and I left them as they were, but transferred the robber’s to my own. I’d settle up with Berta when the shock of what happened faded a little. 

There was more loot. Four excellent knives and one two shot pocket pistol very similar to the one Berta had used to kill him. There were two women’s lockets with pictures in a small leather sack … some keepsakes worn by a loved one, most likely. No way to trace them. Maybe they were his mothers, if he had one. I lugged stones and covered the killer up the best I could. I didn’t take much time. Parts of him were still showing. The animals would worry around the stones and get all of him eventually. His problem, not mine, but he wouldn’t know.

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The old trapper back in Ohio had laid directions out in the dust those years ago. A big slab of rock looked as if it was blocking the path, but come up close and you would find passage around and under it. I poked my head in. Twenty years ago the valley was there and today it still was too. There was room for a horse to enter into the sweetest of a little valley.

It was about ten miles in length and had a crick bubbling along its distance. He claimed he had trapped it and brought out the best of all kinds prime fur. The trapper intended to return, but had gotten crippled up that next fall. It should be fully restocked by this time if some other trapper hadn’t found it.

We managed to get the six animals and cart through the opening behind the big rock. There was brush both inside and outside the opening and it took me some time to whack it down. We came down into a valley between two high mountains. The crow’s beak landmark was at the head of it. There were acres of swamp at this end and we could see beyond that to a stream of running water in the center of the valley.

If the valley hadn’t been trapped out, this should be a trapper’s paradise. I could see a black spot not far up the canyon wall it looked like an opening to a cave. If it were, then I wouldn’t have to spend time building a cabin. The horses could make do with minimal shelter. The brushed-over swamp would be good browse for my animals. Berta and I made our way around the area. 

We came to a narrow spot and had to leave the cart where it was. That was okay and as long as it was inside the valley, we could use it for storage if the cave wasn’t big enough. We headed that way, finding a path of sorts leading up to it. It would be treacherous going with snow or ice on the ground, but I could make it a little wider.

The opening to the cave was small. The roof sloped up inside and we could stand upright in most places the further back you went into it. There was a fire pit on one side. You could see where the smoke drifted up and out through a small opening above the entrance. Perfect. I was pleased and Berta was attuned to my excitement.

I explained, “We have good shelter with plenty of room. We’ll get wood in here to keep it dry. There must be plenty of wood if we can get from blow-downs and dead trees? We’ll cut some of the swamp over for horse feed. Not all of it or it will destroy the habitat of the animals that live there. We’ll be warm, well fed, and have a place to work out of the weather.

“Not only that we’ll be company for each other. You can talk about your life, hopes and desires. I’ll do the same. That way we can gain knowledge about things we don’t know about now. Let’s explore the rest of the canyon today. I want to find out what there is for game in here. Tomorrow we will plan on heading for an Indian village and do some trading.”

“Can you talk to them? I mean do you know their language?” 

“Not too much, but sign language is pretty much universal among the tribes. I think we will find this area belongs to the Crow Tribe. I know a few words and enough to trade with anyway. First we have to decide what we want to trade away.”

“You are going to get rid of most of my stuff?”

“Only what you say you will part with. Remember, we hope to be loaded down with pelts come spring. A person who has trade goods is a rich person. I don’t have much extra, but you do. You may come out of this richer than me.”

“What do you have to trade?” 

“Some pretties for the squaws. You know beads, a roll of bright colored cloth and a few small tin dishes. Some thread and some heavy steel needles. For the braves, I have some knives, a couple of hatchets and some nails. Those things they can use. Some of the trappers bring whisky, get the Indians drunk and then cheat the hell out of them. They also can lose their hair when the Indians sober up and go after them. No man, red or white likes to be cheated.”

“And what would I trade?”

“You have a lot. You have the three horses and everything that was on the man you killed and what was on his horse. You probably should trade everything from the cart that is the same of what I have and we don’t need. We may have to leave it if we don’t trade it off. We’ll look at everything and decide. That saddle your brother was on isn’t much good. The one on the killer’s horse is much better. Trade yours away.”

“Brady, you look at everything and decide. You’ll have to do the trading. You’re going to keep me alive this winter and that’s worth a lot. I would have died if you hadn’t been here and I surely would have died after the first snow. Come spring you can give me a few dollars and I’ll join up with a wagon train and go on my way.”

“Okay, that’s settled. I am going to work you though, just as if you were my tenderfoot partner.”

“I’m good with that.”

“Let’s do some exploring. I want to see what we have here. I know tracks and I can tell what is living here.”

“Shouldn’t we eat first?”

“No, when we get to trapping we’ll eat in the morning and not again until we come in late afternoon. Two meals are all we’ll have. You’ll get used to it and find the third isn’t necessary.” I handed her a stick of jerky to satisfy her craving for now. Berta didn’t look as if she liked it, but she didn’t argue the point and chewed the tough stringy meat.  I had hopes, and after seeing her reaction to the flavor, we just might make it through the winter.

I wasn’t sure what Berta looked like. She was wearing a knitted wool cap, a woven wool jacket. Her pants were of linsey-woolsey. She had a kirtle on, shortened some, and I couldn’t identify what it was made of. It was heavy though. Her footwear was of leather and well made. Her feet would be cold if that was all she had. I’d make her up some moccasins if need be with the fur on the inside. Maybe the Indians had a dried pelt I could trade for. Frost bite could cripple a person.

A little time up the valley, I ran across a rabbit run and set a snare. It only took five minutes to fashion and we were on our way. I talked continually. This was new to me having company for the winter, but what if something happened to me and if she did have to live through the winter alone? She might make it if she knew enough by that time and it was up to me to see that she did. 

Tracks of fur bearing animals were everywhere. It was faint, but I thought I could identify the track of a wolverine. They were the largest of the weasel family. I knew the wolverine was a vicious little animal and would take down larger prey than themselves, I thought possibly for the fun of it. Berta spotted a coon up in a spruce tree. Raccoons were plentiful and was the least sought after fur pelts now. We would trap them, for even undervalued, they were worth packing out. I thought I saw a puma, but when my glance came back to zero in on it, it wasn’t there.

We turned back knowing there was a good chance this would be a good season of trapping. I would be glad of the help that Berta would be to me. When we came back, I clubbed a struggling snowshoe rabbit that was in the snare. It would be our meal tonight. I would save the fur. It wasn’t worth much, because it hadn’t turned all white yet. I was surprised to get it and figured us passing had scared it out of its lair. They usually denned up during the day and were out only at night. They didn’t hibernate, so we would be taking a lot of them.

I demonstrated how to skin out the rabbit from its hide in preparation for stretching it. Carefully I made sure all of the fat and meat were peeled away from the skin. Fat left on it would turn rancid and spoil. Berta had prepared rabbit at one time on the way here and knew how to spit it over a bed of coals. I went down into the swamp and found an edible weed we could use for greens. I sliced off a small bit of bacon to boil with them to draw the bitterness out. Our first meal in our winter home was delicious.

I was fastening together a snare to catch muskrats with when Berta spoke from the corner that held a pile of wood. “There are some flat boards here behind the wood pile.” She brought one out to show me. 

“That’s a stretcher for a hide. Red or grey fox depending on the size of the animal.”

“That means you won’t have to spend time making one doesn’t it?”

“That’s right. Let’s see what else there is?” I was in luck because there were several different sized ones I could use. I wondered if these had been left here by the same trapper who told me about the hidden valley a few years ago. From when he said he was here, it might be twenty years.

The next day we unloaded the cart and sorted out what we had to trade. Berta and her brother came west well armed. There were two long rifles in the cart and her brother had his holstered pistol, dying before he could use it. Berta had the .28 Paterson. The two barreled derringer wouldn’t do much damage over ten feet. Berta must have been aware of this. Because she was right on the killer before she fired it into him.

We laid aside the best of everything to keep. None of the weapons except some of the knives would go for trading. Berta had a sack full of canned peaches. I was going to live better than ever this winter. There were her brother’s clothes that were too small for me and they would go. We sorted through the blankets and some of the camp utensils. The rest we would trade to the Indians.

I put Berta up on a lookout point and told her what to watch for. She had my spy glass with her. I went to work building snares and sticks to trigger deadfalls. These were a stick with notches cut into it with a length of sinew attached. You propped a rock up with a stick balanced so if the other stick was jarred the least little, the rock would fall and trap the animal under the rock. Bait was usually a bit of carrion.

The night before we left for the Indian village, we heard coyotes. I’d hunt and trap those. The pelts had good value and if they were of un-usual color, they would bring a good price. In the early morning and twenty minutes after Berta reached the lookout she was back. “There’s a big herd of buffalo between here and where you said the Indian village is.”

—————————————

“Let’s go trading.” We threw the trade goods on one of the three horses we were trading and headed for the buffalo. We mixed our tracks in with those, not wanting the Indians to track us back to the valley. I left one of the mules in a grove of trees about a mile from the Crow village. 

My thinking was that I’d leave the mule there while Berta and I did our trading.  If we were able to trade off the three horses, we’d have quite a bundle of furs. I’d put her and the furs on my gelding and run beside the horse until I reached the mule. He was big and long legged.  I’d mount him and we would make tracks. We might head off in a different direction and we’d cover our tracks while circling back around to the canyon.

The Crow Nation was generally friendly to the white man. They weren’t like the Cheyenne, the Sioux, or the northern Arapahoe, who were the Crow’s traditional enemies. But still we were only one man and his squaw and they would think they could easily take advantage of us.

We headed into the buffalo herd moving slowly; they were grazing so they didn’t really pay much attention to us. This was something I had practiced before. They were huge animals and dangerous if startled or stampeding. We made it to the copse of trees and I tied my mule. I had Berta riding the cart horse and told her to ride in my tracks directly behind me looking subservient.

The Indians watched us ride in. I made sign language that I wanted to trade.  They were interested. I had rolled the small items into a couple of blankets and tied them to my wooden pack racks mounted behind my saddle. This was what I was using to transport my winter’s gather out in the spring. I stepped down and threw a blanket on the ground. 

The squaws gathered around when the pretties were spread out on the blanket. They fought over who was to have what. Then they ran to their tipi coming back with furs to trade. Whether these were their own or their brave’s, I couldn’t tell. However, one brave stepped forward and pulled a pelt out of his squaw’s hand.

The squaw argued and was backhanded viciously, she going off with a sullen look at him and the rest of the squaws. He was the first to trade and I settled for the pelt she had brought out. I glanced at Berta. She figured the brave planned on love tonight. Trade with Indians takes a long time. Every piece was bartered over until each of us was satisfied we had traded fair. 

We finally reached the point with only having the cart horse left to trade. I had a great pile of pelts stacked on the ground before me. Most of them were prime. The Indians evidently got them as the animals came out of their dens from hibernation last spring. The hair and fur were all tight. A few I rejected knowing the fur was beginning to be shed. These were good for some things but those with the heavy thick winter coat were the best.

Berta had walked over and examined a buffalo robe that was strung between two poles. It was beautiful example of Indian workmanship. The hair was on the outside, but it had white rabbit fur stitched on the underside. There were colorful trade beads sown around where the stitching held the edges together. I could tell Berta wanted it, but was afraid to ask me to trade for it.

Thinking fast, I knew I didn’t want to take the horse back to camp. There was no way we had enough fodder to feed more than my three animals through the winter. The brave whom the robe belonged to, saw Berta eying it. He wanted the horse and I wanted the robe for Berta. The horse was worth much more than the robe. I finally settled on the robe and a puma hide. The squaw who had made it was crying. Berta felt bad for her, although she wanted the robe powerful bad. “Brady, how long did it take her to make the robe?”

“Probably a couple of years. She probably didn’t have enough beads all at once and had to wait until a trader came along for her brave to get more for her.”

“Brady, this was my horse. Do you have any more beads on you? I’m going to give her some.”

 I had a few. I never displayed everything because you never knew when a trade had to be tipped in your favor with just a little extra. I had more back at camp. “Give them to me, please." I dug them out of the pouch hanging from the saddle horn. While I was tying the furs onto the pack frames, Berta was folding up a bright blue blanket. The squaw was watching me tie the robe on the top of the bundled furs.

Berta handed the squaw the blanket with the sack of beads lying on the top. “Why did you do that? We made the trade and it was fair”

“Maybe, but you said it was going to be a cold winter. I have her robe and she will be cold.” 

“You’re a pushover. You will never make a good trader.”

“I don’t care.” 

“Just for that, I get to ride the horse and you have to run beside me.” 

“You’re mean.”

“No, I have to save face. If I don’t, I’ll never be able to get a fair trade with these Indians again.” It took some to load the furs we had just traded for onto the horse. Still some left over, I made up a pack and burdened Berta with it.

“I see your point.” I kicked the horse in the ribs, but didn’t get too far ahead and Berta soon caught up to me. As soon as we were out of sight of the Indian camp, I put her in the saddle and I ran along beside the horse after transferring Berta’s pack to my back until we got to the mule. I tightened the girth on the robber’s saddle and we were soon on our way. Another mile and it was almost dark. We didn’t head toward our camp. We went a couple of more miles drifting obliquely away in a different direction.

We made a cold camp. Water and jerky had to satisfy our hunger. We reached the hidden valley not very long after the sun came up. “You have crazy eating habits. I’m starved.”

“I’m used to eating like the Indians. When they have food, they gorge themselves. Living like they do, they never can be sure that they will have enough for the next meal. Better to eat yourself full when you can.”

“We have enough food for the winter, don’t we?”

“We should have, but what happens if a wild animal gets into the cave and destroys it. That can happen. We will be mostly on a meat diet by the New Year anyway. We’ll have to ration ourselves so we can have a treat occasionally.”

“Where did you learn all of this?”

“This is my sixth season trapping. If it hasn’t happened to me, then it has to someone I knew and I’ve heard about it.”

I took one of the mules, my axe and saw and went to hunt up wood. I found a good supply and went about cutting a load for my pack racks. I tied a rope to the saddle horn and dragged a small tree behind the mule. It wouldn’t take many trips like this to get up wood enough for the winter. Of course, if it was too cold I could roll up in the buffalo robe with Berta. I’m sure we could keep each other warm. 

Berta came down and lugged the sticks I had worked into firewood up the steep narrow path to the cave. The woman was making my life much easier already. I made two more trips up to where the blow downs were before the day was over. Two more days of this would give enough wood stacked at the bottom of the path. 

I finally had a big pile of sticks to work up, but I could leave that and get on to building a shelter for our animals. I asked Berta if she would take my Bowie knife and begin cutting the bunch grass growing in the swamp. “Are there snakes in there?”

“There might be, but none poisonous. Rattlers usually stick to dry ground. They prefer sun. It is too cold now for them to be moving, anyway.” 

“Now you tell me. I don’t like snakes at all.” Berta went right to work and didn’t let up all day. She would be dragging by nightfall. These were the things needing doing if we were to survive the winter. If we didn’t get enough feed up, I planned on letting the three animals browse on some of the small brush growing on the west slope of the canyon. I hoped the snow wouldn’t be deep enough to cover it all.

One thing about the horse and mules was that they were not going to be working and using up much energy during the winter. I had thirty pounds of oats to feed them in the spring to get them going when we packed up to leave. Having the cart would lessen their burden considerably. With what we had traded for already, we had a good beginning on the season. What I had seen for animal tracks, it might just be a great one.

We worked from dawn to dark. I put out a picket line every morning and saved the cut fodder for the animals until after the snow got too deep. Wood for us, and fodder for the animals. I built a little outhouse of brush at the bottom of the path to give Berta a little privacy. It would be a cold trip for her. Me, I just squirted over the edge. I was going to be out on the trap line everyday and would take care of my other business at that time.

I worked on making snowshoes for both of us. When the snow got deep, they would be necessary. I would visit my traps and snares every two days. I would empty the trap if anything had been caught and reset it. Berta would check the traps set in and around the swamp. We had seen muskrat already and we had accepted some in trade. Not the most valuable fur, but if they were plentiful they were worth trapping.

I had some bars of lead and I molded bullets, some for each of our firearms. Luckily, the arms were cap and ball and the nipples all took the same size cap. I had a tin of matches and I kept tinder, flint and steel in another can if we ran out of the matches. Lead balls, a flask of power and the patches of linen were kept handy and we always had some of these on us to fit any particular firearm we were carrying.

I cut and split a bolt of wood off a pine tree that was down. We might need shovels to work around the lean-to where the horse was stabled.  There was always manure to be mucked out too. If I made these tools now, they would be here when the snow came. The season started and we took a few furs, but we were waiting for snow.

I got up one morning feeling lazy. I thought of everything that had to be done in preparation. It was done. This was all because of Berta’s help. The nights had been getting colder. We didn’t see as many different animals or tracks now, because those that did were in hibernation for the winter.

Berta wasn’t up yet. I was lying back against the far wall of the cave on my pallet. She was on hers on the opposite wall. We both had pallets of spruce tip boughs to lie on. She rolled over and stretched. I’m sure she thought I was up and away by this time. I could see her struggling under her blankets. Unbelievingly I found out suddenly what my companion looked like. Berta popped out of bed naked. She was shivering and hugging herself against the cold.

She opened her pack, rummaging around and came out with bloomers and a chemise. Hopping on first one foot and then the other, she pulled on the bloomers and covered herself, diving back under the covers.  I couldn’t help it. I chuckled.

“Brady, I thought you were up and gone.”

“Nope, I waited hoping to see you hopping around.”

You saw everything didn’t you?”

“I did.”

Berta giggled, “Well, it had to have happened sometime. But you were kidding when you said you were sneaking around for a chance to look at me, weren’t you?”

“Berta, I respect you too much to do that to you, so no I didn’t. I was just lying here thinking that we have worked terribly hard in the last few weeks. I decided we would take the day off because we are about as ready for winter as we can be. I’ll dig some roots out of the swamp that will help us make a good stew. We could keep heating some water and wash up. I wish we had a laundry tub, but we don’t. I don’t know about you but I’m beginning to stink.”

“Me too. I like your plan. What have we got for meat?”

“I’ll skin out that coon I brought in last night. It will be a little strong and fatty, but it will make a great stew.”

“Okay, but first you have to close your eyes so I can put the rest of my clothes on and then I have to go down to the outhouse.” My thoughts lingered over what had transpired minutes before. Better not for it was going to be a long winter—but I would remember.

I built up the fire. I piled on more wood than usual. Just maybe it would be warm enough to take off one layer of clothing to be comfortable. I brought up two buckets of water. The buckets were made of leather with a wooden bottom. When traveling the wooden circle could be removed and the buckets collapsed to pack. One problem with these was that you couldn’t let water stand in them very long.

I went about preparing the coon. I hadn’t seen any sign of deer in the valley, and venison would have been better, but I couldn’t be particular. There were some wild bulbs for a vegetable I found on the edge of the swamp, and some caraway seeds, I had stowed away. I had plenty of salt. I’d kill for some carrots, but none were to be had.

The meal would be good and we had a can of peaches just for an occasion such as this. Berta would make up a biscuit. We were very sparing of our flour.  I hadn’t packed any. Flour came from the supplies that were in her cart.

For a real treat, Berta also had a cache of dried teaberry leaves in a big pouch. She said she had bought then off someone who had several pounds of these dried leaves in a trunk. The family was from Pennsylvania and had to lighten their load for the long journey across the country to California. Wintergreen tea was something I had only tasted occasionally. She had also gathered some wild rose hips which were good and were supposed to keep a person from getting scurvy.

——————————

We ate in the mid-afternoon which was early for our second meal of the day. We really made a meal of the dinner. Eating and talking and telling each other about our lives during dinner. Berta had always worked for some family who had money to hire help. Her brother was a laborer, digging ditches or wells and even holes to place an outhouse over. They saved their money, hoping to own their own home someday.

I asked, “Didn’t you have a home when your parents died?”

“We did of sorts, but it was rented. Polish immigrants rarely had money to buy land. My brother was born in the old country and I was born the year after the family arrived.”

“How did you end up near Chicago?”

“Father was hired to drive a coach to Chicago by some rich industrialist. This was ten years after we got to this country. Mother kept house for his family and his wife wanted mother to continue. Mother drove a cart much like the one I drove here. Unfortunately, the lady of the household died and the husband didn’t need father anymore. Our whole family just labored on until mother and father died in the fire.”

“This is possibly too personal for you to answer and if it is, say so. Why haven’t you married? You are a lovely looking woman.”

There was a long pause before Berta answered. Foolish me, I thought she was savoring the compliment. She continued after a bit, “I met a man when I was twenty. I liked him a lot. I was going to marry him if he asked me. The night I thought for sure he was going to propose, he raped me. I haven’t had anything much to do with men since that time.

“Maybe you can understand why I was so sudden in shooting that man the night we met. It wasn’t just that he killed my brother, although that was reason enough. It was because it looked as if I was due to be raped again.”

“I can understand your feelings. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. Let’s change the subject. I get angry whenever I think back to what happened to me. I don’t know if I will ever have a family just because of what happened in the past.”

I was saddened and disappointed. Up until this time I was considering Berta as a potential wife for myself. I would have to put her out of my mind in that regard. That isn’t to say I didn’t like her. She was everything I would want for a trapping partner here in the backwoods camp for the winter. We sat sipping our tea when she asked me the same question.

“And why have you never married?”

“A couple of reasons I guess. I’ve never stayed in one place long enough to meet a good woman. This year I suppose I could support one if I had one. Women want a home and a man in it. Trapping for a living isn’t something you could ask a woman to join you in. During the warm season, I support myself gambling. The women you meet in the dives and establishments where gambling goes on aren’t what you would call wife material. Too, good women look down on a man who gambles.”

 Berta frowned. “You’re a bigot. Maybe you didn’t give the women you met a chance. They have to live and that is the only place they can make a living for themselves. I would warrant it was a man who caused most of their problems.”

“If you say so, I won’t argue with you.”

“Brady, I won’t argue with you either, but it could have been me that had to find work there if it wasn’t for my brother. What chance would there have been for me if we hadn’t kept the fact about what happened to me hidden? A woman who has been violated immediately loses her reputation.” She was quiet for a few minutes. I didn’t know how to answer her. I felt if I did I would dig myself into a deeper hole.

She finally spoke again, “Brady, I’m sorry for speaking up like I did just now. I was thinking the way you have been treating me that you were better than that. Now I’m sad that I shared what happened to me. You probably will think I am a loose woman.”

“I doubt that. I’ll think on it, but I think you are wrong about me. Still I can see your point. What do I know about women anyway?”

“Brady, I was just surprised at your comment. I saw you treat the Indians, fair in trade, and ...” Berta didn’t finish the sentence

“I will think about what you said. You may be entirely correct. I do want you to think well of me.”

“And why do you want me to do that?”

I grinned, saying, “It is going to be a long winter in close quarters. It is too soon to disagree when we have so many more weeks and months ahead of us.”

“You’ve said that before. I’m sure you are speaking from experience so I’ll be careful not to challenge you.”

Now it was I who was quiet. I chuckled. “See Berta, I have been going against one of my major beliefs. I believe it is best to listen instead of talk. Today I did the opposite. I talked when I should have been listening. I always learn more that way.”

“Brady, I haven’t changed my mind about you. You are still a wonderful person for taking me on and caring for me. That is even when you are making me work harder than I have worked before.”

“Maybe I am pushing you, but it is a matter of survival. Don’t forget you are learning something new every day and also this work you are doing is in your own best interest. If we get back to so-called civilization with our furs, you’re going to be relatively well off financially. You can go on to Oregon in style.”

“Brady, I may decide that I wouldn’t be wise to go on, but that is for months in the future. I’ll decide when we get out of here if we do. I’m going to nap a little. I suspect tomorrow will be another of those difficult working days for me.”

I lay down on my pallet thinking a nap was a good idea. I didn’t sleep though. I thought about what Berta had told me about her life. My life had been relatively easy compared to hers. I always had free choice in what I wanted out of life and I could just go ahead and do it within my own capabilities. Berta was intelligent, but hemmed in by convention. Here though, she was more than pulling her weight. If she were a man, I had no doubt she would outstrip me in any endeavor. I would be a little more solicitous of her from now on.

Our nap turned into uninterrupted sleep. I rose up sometime during the night going outside to squirt. Berta was awake and I knew she was in the same condition as I had been. It would be a long treacherous path in the dark down to the outhouse. We had saved all of the metal cans that our food had come in. I remembered then, there was one large one that originally held about five pounds of flour. It had been emptied a few days ago.

I got up and felt around in the corner until I put my hands on it. By the faint light from the died-down fire, I went across to her pallet. “Brady, what are you doing here?”

“It’s wicked cold outside. Winter has arrived and it is snowing. The path is slippery. Use this tin if you have need.” I didn’t wait for an answer, just placing it on the cave floor near at hand for her and returned to my own bed.

A few minutes later, “Brady, thank you.”

—————————

When I looked out in the morning, there wasn’t much snow, but it had to have been well below zero. I knew it wasn’t unusual for the temperature to go down to thirty to forty below, but that was later in January. For now, zero was cold enough. I could see the crow’s beak at the top of the mountain. There had to be several feet of snow around it, although the beak itself was blown bare. 

I had two trap lines out and visited one on one day and the other on the next. This way there wasn’t as much chance that the trap would be robbed by other predators and the furs torn up and the pelt destroyed. Some trappers planned on having large lines out and visiting them once a week. What a waste to lose even one pelt.

I usually field dressed the animal and just returned with the hide. Berta became expert at trimming the fat and cleaning it. She learned to stretch the small animal skins over the frames I constructed. We were going to have some prime pelts to take out in the spring. I eventually got all of the coyotes.

Each new day was nearly the same as the last one. It was monotonous in a sense, but the weather was always the challenge to face. As the snow deepened, I wore the homemade snowshoes as often as not. It would take three trips out to pack down the trap line, and then it would snow and it would have to be done all over again.

My lines followed the stream down from the mountain to the swamp.  Berta would often have the nearby traps emptied and reset by the time I returned in the afternoon. If I would have been working alone, I would have left these for last, so what she did made my day much shorter and easier.

Shortly before Christmas, I began to find my traps sprung and a caught animal torn out. From the tracks, I knew I was catching food for a puma. Late one afternoon, I wore my heaviest clothes and an extra blanket and hunkered down opposite two of my set traps. I burrowed into the snow and knew I might be out all night.

It was a bright, moonlit night and I saw the animal jump down from a ledge across the valley from me. It was coming toward me in fits and starts by pausing and looking around, sniffing for scent, and then coming on again. When it got near, it sniffed the bait I had set one trap with and moved on to the one closest to me. This one I hadn’t removed the rabbit caught the day before. The lion walked around the trap cautiously, and grabbed the rabbit in his mouth. 

Finding it couldn’t be taken back to its lair it laid down, holding the rabbit in its paws and he/she proceeded to devour it. When it first paused to lick its chops, I fired. The cat bounded away, heading for its lair. Even at night I could see the blood trail it was leaving on the snow. It made it half way up the ledge and fell back, kicking until it lay still.

I put my snowshoes on and followed until almost there. I wanted to make sure the animal was truly dead so I was as cautious as he had been. It was dead, lying partly on its back. I could see plainly that it was a nearly full-grown male. It was quite a prize unless I had spoiled the pelt, by putting a bullet hole in it. I had not. I tried for a neck shot and evidently, I was in luck. I had hit it low down and had clipped the jugular. It had bled to death.

This was a beautiful animal. Its weight, I would estimate at 200 ponds. Working as fast as possible, I gutted the animal which removed more than a third of the weight. I rolled it onto a hairless hide I had brought with me to drag it on and headed down the valley pulling it behind me.

When I went past the lean-to where my horse and mules were stabled, they could smell it. They restlessly stomped around. I hurried beyond to the cart and rolled the puma under it. I’d skin it out in the morning. Moonlight was almost gone by the time I made my way up the path to the cave. Berta was awake. “Brady, I heard you shoot. Did you get the cat?”

“It’s under the cart and it is past midnight. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you too. I have wintergreen tea made. Would you like some now?”

“Let me wash up just a little and yes I would.” I could see Berta in the flickering fire light from the campfire. What I was feeling for her was new and strange for me. Maybe it was somewhat like I felt when I was a young child and my mother cuddled me up to her. That had changed, but tonight it was a good memory of the past.

I made the decision, “Berta, I have a gift for you, would you like it tonight?”

“Yes, and Brady, I have a gift for you too.” I had been working a piece of leather to make a pair of moccasins for my partner. I had lined them with rabbit fur that we had got from the Crow Indians in trade months ago. Real cold weather would be on us and I had to hurry to finish them in time.

Berta had sewn me a pouch to hang around my neck. She had raided the supply of trade beads to decorate it. My name was spelled out with the beads, giving me the most personalized possession I had ever owned. Tears came to my eyes at the beauty of it.

“Thank you so much, Brady. My boots are just about worn out. I was worried I might have to go with some kind of hide wrapped around my feet.”

“I know. I have planned this since I first saw what you were wearing for foot wear. Hey, today is Christmas and we deserve another one of those days off.”

————————————

Trouble came on us the third week of January. We had a thaw and the world was blanketed with ice. I slid and in falling, my foot got caught and I twisted my leg. Nothing was broken, but I could only hobble with the help of a stick. 

Berta was adamant that she would tend the trap line, but I said I didn’t want both of us injured. I finally agreed after two days that she could go out and empty all of the traps leaving them un-baited and bring back what she found for animals. While she was out with me waiting anxiously for her return, the weather warmed and it rained again. She made it back to the cave, feeding the horse and mules before she came in wet and frozen.

By midnight, I knew she had caught a cold. She was hacking and coughing. I went over and felt her brow. She had a fever. I was worried. I didn’t know much about sick people. Falls and injuries I could handle, but a sick woman … Oh God!

I piled more covers on her. She was burning up and yet she was shivering. I unpacked the robe she had traded the cart horse to the Crows for. I made a tea of some mint leaves that we had dried. I was afraid I had done something wrong because she coughed and threw it up. I brought our washbasin to her in case she did it again. I sat with her and rested my hand on her brow. She seemed soothed by this. When I got cold myself, I got up and fed the fire.

Next day was more of the same. In the afternoon, my leg felt stronger. I looked out and could see that the rain of yesterday had turned to snow and there was about two inches of it. It was turning cold again. I knew I would be able to find footing if I was careful. The snow had stuck to the ice and I could get around. It had been twenty-four hours and the animals in the lean-to needed water and some fodder.

I made sure Berta was covered and eased down the path. It took me a long time to get water from the swamp for the horse and mules. When I leaned down to dip the pail, a willow bush slapped my face. I looked at the branch. I remembered that steeped willow bark was good for something, only I couldn’t remember for what. I would try it anyway. When I came back inside the cave, Berta had tried to make it to the tin can she had been using.

She had got there, but was too weak to make it back to her pallet. It was a mess in and around the can. I would take care of that later. For now, I removed her bottom clothes and cleaned her up the best I could. This was an hourly event for four hours. I did scrape some of the willow bark into boiling water and took it off the fire to steep. It was damned bitter and I added a little more water.

By this time, Berta was too weak to stand, so I was carrying her to the corner. I finally got a few sips of the willow tea into her. After that, I spooned a couple of spoonfuls into her every few minutes. She seemed to rest easier and after two hours without calling to go to the corner, I figured she was maybe a little better. She was still too warm and I knew the fever was still on her.

I’m ashamed to say, I fell asleep leaving her to own devices. When I next awoke, I was cold and the fire was just a few coals buried in the grey ashes. I hurriedly built it up. I felt Berta’s brow. She was cooler and sleeping with little snores coming from her. The cave smelled terrible. I covered up the mess with ashes and that helped a little.

Berta was still sleeping when I went down to the horses and mules before dark. It was cold and I sunk into the frozen snow enough to have sure footing. I left my stick on the path. My leg was better and by taking it easy and favoring it, I was getting around without too much trouble. When I got back up to the cave, I almost gagged. Going from fresh mountain air to a closed up cave where a person had been very sick with the flux, I found it over-powering.

Berta was awake watching me hobble in. “Brady, I don’t know what to say. You’ve cared for me more than you should have had to. I’ll make it up to you somehow.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just get well. I’m better myself. I fed you some willow bark tea and I think that was what made you better. I drank a cup of it too. My aches have almost disappeared. I’ll give you another cup in a minute. Do you want anything else?”

“Brady, I’m awful hungry. Could I have something to eat?

“I’m hungry too. I’ll get us some broth.”

“Can’t you cook some meat? I’m that hungry.”

“Sure. First let me move your pallet away from your corner.”

“Is that what I smell?”

“Yes, you were very sick for three days. You’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

Berta went to sleep immediately on my moving her. I dumped another layer of ashes over the mess in the corner. I woke and fed her some rabbit. I thought she wasn’t going to leave any for me. “Berta, if you eat any more you’ll make yourself sick again. I’ll give you a little mint tea to make sure your stomach is settled.”

“Yes, Mother Boyd. You always know best.” Then she clarified her statement. “No I don’t mean it the way that sounded. Thank God you do know what is best.” Our pallets were close enough for us to touch each other if we put our hands out. Hers came over and found mine and she said sleepily, “Thank you, again.”

We were both bright eyed when we woke in the morning. Berta was still weak, but she insisted she could make it down to the outhouse. While she was gone, I shoveled the dirtied ashes over the ledge. As soon as possible and when I found time, I would bring in some pine boughs and see if that wouldn’t sweeten the air.

I felt well enough in the afternoon to go a ways up the nearby trap line and bait some of my traps, especially around the swamp. I had lost a week of trapping, but we both should be well enough to resume now.

February was mostly snow free. The temperature hovered around zero. We had some sun and I could easily travel my trap line without snowshoes as it warmed and then froze the trail. Weather like this made trapping for a living a joy.

The next week I bagged two timber wolves. These and the wolverines I had caught would bring in the highest price.

March came in snowy and it seemed as if the wind howled louder today than yesterday. Drifts piled up, and I had to often dig for my buried traps. The traps were usually empty and we wondered if it was worth keeping bait on them. The sun was getting higher in the sky and we just knew spring was coming and animals would be moving again. I brought in a marten, an ermine and three otter all in one day. Trapping was excellent, and I began to worry if we could pack it all out of here.

By the end of the month, I knew we would be leaving soon. The next morning I put the shoes back on the horse and mules. I had pulled them right after we had reached the valley they not needing them and I would need them in the spring. It took a lot of trimming, for the hooves had grown considerably.

“Is there anything you don’t know how to do?”

“Lots of things, but I’ve done this many times.” 

We had gone down for the night. Suddenly we came upright and out of our pallets. We could hear their lonesome howls, knowing a wolf pack had entered our valley and were sounding off. I was worried about it being a large pack. If it was, our draft animals would be in danger. A wolf pack would take most large animals and our horse and mules would be helpless against them. We listened and could only hear four different, distinct wolf howls.

“Berta, listen to me. I don’t want you out on the trap line or even in the swamp by yourself. Wolves don’t always hunt together. One could sneak up on you and take you down before you even know there was one stalking you. I’ll see if I can’t thin them out. With them patrolling the valley, we won’t be doing much more trapping before we head out for civilization.”

“What about you and the wolves? You will be in as much danger as I would be.”

“True, but I’ve stalked them before when they got onto my trapping grounds and I had to kill them or give up for the season. I won’t kid you, it is a dangerous game. I’ll be carrying my rifle and my Paterson whenever I’m out. Your job will be to stay here and watch the lean-to so the wolves don’t get at the horse and mules. You have the two rifles of your brother’s to use if need be.”

“One of the rifles is mine and I can shoot and I know how to load it if necessary.”

“Good girl. How come you didn’t tell me that?”

“Let’s just say I didn’t know you at first and I waited to see if I could trust you.”

“And do you trust me now?”

“Brady, how could I not?”

“We do make an unlikely pair, don’t we?” At that moment, one wolf let loose with a long wailing, howl, taken up by the rest of the animals.

“Brady, I’m glad you are so close by. I hate the sound of them.  It isn’t that I’m that much afraid of the wolves, but they make me feel so sad.”

“I know what you mean. Reach out your hand so you won’t feel so lonely.”

I was out before full light looking for tracks. I found them half way up the valley. They hadn’t made it to the swamp. The tracks indicated that this was one family unit. By the deepness and size of the tracks, we were contending with two older full-grown adults, two of last year’s off-spring, and one of this year’s pups. I puzzled over there being so few in the pack and came to the conclusion that someone had been hunting this particular family and some of the younger ones had been killed off.

Wolves were intelligent. This family probably was seeing their family decimated and had looked for a safer place to hunt. It was too bad they chose my valley to come to for food and safety, but then we were at the end of the season. I would be planning to get out of here in another week anyway.

The next day I had Berta scale the side of the mountain to her lookout point. Using my spyglass she could see what the world was like outside the valley. She came back down and reported that out on the prairie there was much bare ground. Hearing this, I fed my animals a pound of oats each to increase their energy. Here, there was still snow everywhere. I went to look at our entrance to the valley and there were ten or more feet of snow blocking us in. This was high as well as wide.

My short saw came in handy here. I couldn’t dig much with my wooden shovel so I used the saw to cut blocks from the hardened snow. I would loosen them by hammering in the pointy little shovel that Berta had brought and pry the chunks out. I then could slide them out of the way with the wooden shovel.

Berta was right there and we made good progress the first day. Hopefully there wouldn’t be that much on the other side of the entrance. There shouldn’t be for the sun would be hitting that side of the hill most all day long.

When Berta saw that I had most of the entrance cleared, she started bringing our goods down from the cave for me to load into the cart. I finished that chore, clearing the snow out of the way enough so we could get a mule hitched to the cart and wide enough for the cart to go through the passage.

This done about ten in the morning, I looked at Berta. “Tonight will be our last night here. I’m going to run the trap line and get whatever is in them. I’ll bring in the metal traps and spring the snares and deadfalls. If I hurry, I can be back before dark. I doubt there will be anything caught with the wolves around. You work around the swamp and do the same thing. Carry your gun, just to be safe.”

“Okay, but you be careful too.”

“I will.” The snow hadn’t softened that much here in the valley and I had a well packed trail. I did have my snowshoes if it did get too soft. I left the camp at almost a dead run heading up the valley. This turned out to be my best gather for many weeks. Along with some small animals of rabbit, two mink, and a fisher, I had a beautiful grey fox. 

He was very much alive and there was no way I was going to get to him the way he was snarling and snapping. I hated to but I had to shoot him. I paused here and skinned all of the animals. The small ones took only a half-minute, because I only had to make a few cuts with my knife and then could pull the hide from the carcass. The fox was something else and I had to slide my knife under the skin, being careful not to damage the hide.

I was soon on my way. When I almost at the head of the valley, I could see that there was a wolf caught in the trap. I advanced cautiously; knowing there would be the other wolves nearby. I couldn’t spot them and that worried me. Would they stalk me?

The wolf was struggling and it looked as if he was caught by one front foot. Now he was yipping and tearing around. I raised my gun to shoot when suddenly he broke free and limping badly ran about thirty yards uphill from me. He turned and stared at me. Almost immediately two other wolves sided him.

I caught a glimmer out of my left eye and there was the big he-wolf watching me. I started talking to him as I came up to the trap. There was most of a paw still lying on the ground. I picked it up, put this in my sack and retrieved my trap. If I got to bragging someday, I could haul that foot out to reinforce my tale. All this while I was telling the wolf the valley was his and I was leaving.

I headed across the valley to the other side and made my way toward home, doing the same on that line as I did coming up. I turned to look for the wolves. They were all together slowly going on ahead of the injured animal and waiting for him to catch up before going on again.

I could have shot that he-wolf and would have had a beautiful prize, but that would have destroyed the whole family by leaving them without a leader. There was no need, for Berta and I were loaded down as it was. I did get two more small animals before reaching the cave. It was dark and I could see Berta waiting silhouetted by the cave campfire behind her.

“I heard you shoot.”

“Yes, we got our first grey fox on our last day here. He is a beauty. I had a small wolf caught in the last trap up the hill, but he got free, leaving part of his paw behind.”

“Did you see the other wolves?”

“All of them. I could have killed the old he-wolf, but decided we had finished trapping, so I didn’t try for him. We are going to be working hard getting our pelts to market. We have two that I bagged back in December. We are too heavily loaded as it is.”

“After telling me they were a family and then hearing howl last night, I’m really glad you did. Come eat, it is ready. I have the last can of peaches that I hid to eat in celebration of the last night before we leave.”


Chapter Two

“You’re so thoughtful. Berta, I’d trap another year if I was sure you would be with me.”

“No Brady, I wouldn’t be with you. I’ve had my fill of living in the wilderness. I want a bath at least once a week and I want another woman to talk to occasionally. That said I have enjoyed being with you this winter.”

“Berta, I was just paying you a compliment that’s all. I’ve had my fill of living without being with other people too. I just meant you filled in the lonely spots that come up too often without anyone else around.”

“Oh.” Berta didn’t say anything for a bit. “Brady, what are you going to do with your life if you don’t trap?”

“I don’t know yet, but something will turn up. Are you going to Oregon when we get finished with this?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t even know if my uncle is alive. I certainly wouldn’t be alive now if things hadn’t happened the way they did after my brother died. Moreover, he and I both would have died if that hadn’t happened and we did try for Oregon. I’m sure, now that I know what the winter is really like out here, we never would have made it.

“I agree; it was foolish for him to start out so late in the summer. I didn’t tell you before, but you were on the wrong trail. The trail for Oregon is way south of here. That one has a lot of travel on it. The Mormons and the people headed for California and the gold that is being found use it and then for Oregon, they go up the coast.”

“Brady, I haven’t admitted this, but we were lost. We were just traveling west and hoping we would find our way through the mountains. I don’t want to even think about it anymore. Different subject, how are you going to handle questions about me being with you all winter, unmarried as we are? People are going to ask questions.”

“I am bothered about that. They are going to think you are a loose woman and I know you are not. I’ll leave it up to you what you think is the best way to handle it.”

“Brady, I don’t want you to feel trapped, but if I’m going to have the name, I might as well sleep with you. I’ll still be protected—, that is, if you think I’m worth it.”

I couldn’t think of what to say about what I wanted. Finally I blurted, “I would like it more if you would consent to be my wife when we get to where there is a preacher. We’ll just say we are married in our hearts and wait on a preacher to make it official. I also would like it if we could sleep under the same blankets together from now on.”  

“You’d have me for your wife?”

“Yes.” There was a rustling on her pallet. Soon my blankets were lifted and Berta slid in beside me.

“Brady, I don’t know if I can do this. Even as much as I have come to care for you, I’m fearful of what you are going to do to me.”

“Berta, I care for you a lot. I don’t want to hurt you and if we have to sleep together for appearances sake I can handle it okay. I just hope by the time we reach civilization we can join together as husband and wife. I don’t know much about making love to a woman because I haven’t had that much experience. Right now you are the closest I have ever been to one that I feel love for.”

“That’s not true. You cleaned me up and washed me when I was so sick. That was close and you must have felt some love.”

“I did that, yes, but I wasn’t looking on you as a woman. You were just my partner and I needed you to survive and get well and be able to get out of here.”

“I should be mad you didn’t find me attractive, but given the circumstances and how badly I smelled, I understand. I still stink.”

“Not as bad as I do. You know I was thinking you have never seen me without my beard. It was well grown when we first met. When I’m in town I shave every day. I’ll probably meet you on the street and you won’t even know me.”

“I will too. I’ve watched you for months and I will know you with or without facial hair. Brady, it is going to be a long day tomorrow. Put your arms around me and go to sleep.” Berta turned her back to me and when I put my arm over her she pulled herself into my arms. “This feels great with your arm holding me.  Now go to sleep.”

I wondered what it would be like lying next to each other when and if we were naked. Here in the cave it was too cold to be a possibility. It probably wouldn’t be possible on the trail either until it got warmer.

Habit woke me early and I detached myself from Berta. “Brady, can’t we stay here one more day?”

“I’d love to, but we really should be on the trail.”

“I know, but I felt so safe in your arms.”

“We’ll have more time together I promise. Our whole life, I hope.” I bailed off the pallet and poked the ashes to find the coals still alive. There was water and I filled the pot for tea. We were stretching the brew of teaberry leaves mixed with some dried mint leaves. It did get us going.

I went down to the animals and fed them a pound each of the oats. I led them to the swamp to drink. I didn’t put them back into the lean-to, just tying them to saplings. It was light enough to see what kind of day it was going to be. I knew out on the prairie the sun would be shining, but it wouldn’t get down into our valley for another hour.

Berta passed me my tin plate with a half rabbit on it. She declared, “I’m not going to eat meat for a month when we get to Saint Louis.”

“I know how that is. We are lucky we had enough salt to flavor it. Think what it would be like if we didn’t?” Berta just shook her head.

The cart was already loaded, waiting on one of the mules to be backed between the shafts. Berta was sweeping out the cave leaving it nearly as clean as we found it.  There was a pile of wood against the far wall and I had put the hide stretchers behind it. Another trapper might find this valley and we wanted to leave it just as good as we had found it. We even stacked up the empty tins we weren’t taking with us.

“Brady, come up and take a long last look at where we have lived for so many months.” I reached the cave and looked around. “Believe it or not, I have been very happy here. I doubt I would have been, with any other person but you. Not even with my brother. He was older than me and sometimes I felt I was treated more like a slave or servant.”

“How do you feel about how I have treated you? I certainly ordered you around and made you work hard enough.”

“Yes, but as you often said, it was in my own best interests. Not only that, you always looked out for my welfare and cared for me when I needed it.”

“Well we aren’t out of this yet. We still have a difficult time ahead of us. We’ll have this conversation when we reach civilization.”

“Good. We don’t need to talk about this anymore. I know how you feel about me and you know how I feel about you.” We went down and saddled the horse and one mule, backing the other mule into the shafts on the cart. I put the pack racks on the animals we were to ride, tying the bundles of fur pelts on securely. The horse and mule didn’t like the added weight, being uncomfortable and they jumped around some.

I led the saddled horse out through the gap, giving Berta the mule halters to hold. I returned to lead the mule and cart out. We came out into brilliant sunlight and from our elevation, we could see for miles. We paused to look toward the Crow camp, but couldn’t see it. I intended we should miss it by two miles anyway. Traveling was good and we dodged around some patches of snow, but generally, we went forward in a straight line. 

By darkness, I figured we had made almost twenty miles. I hobbled the animals after taking off the saddles and the packs of furs. They went to eating last year’s grass that had shoots of green coming up in bunches. Another week and there would be some real feed for them. We were sore and tired. There was no complaint from Berta. What a trooper.

——————————

We were three days out, and about ready to head north, north-east for the rendezvous at Fort union. After making camp and building a small fire, we were relaxing. The horse’s head came up. I rolled into the darkness with my Paterson out.

“Hello the camp. We are eleven trappers and saw your fire. May we come in?”

I skittered to where I had made our bed out of the firelight out behind some brush. I had both my rifle and my pistol in my hands. “Come on in so I can look you over.” Eight men on foot and three mounted men slowly came into the firelight. All the men who were on foot and now took huge packs off their backs and swung them to the ground. The three horses were pulling heavily loaded travois.

When I said men, I made a mistake when it became evident one was an Indian squaw. She was carrying a pack as large as any of them. She went about opening her pack and found a bundle of jerky. Placing a tin pan on the fire, she proceeded to cut the meat into it to stew. That done she went out into the dark and dragged in some small branches that came from the tree that I had broken off earlier to make our fire. 

I knew we would need more wood, so I saddled my horse and taking a rope dragged the tree up close. Axes came out and soon the tree was reduced to firewood. Berta hadn’t said a word and had edged over into the dark where just her outline could be seen. 

“How was your season?” This was asked by a late middle-aged trapper, years older than me.

“Good. I’ve been up here six years and this has been my best one.”

“You’re lucky. We all took pelts, but nothing special. You and the woman work together or run separate lines?”

“We worked together. Come into the light, Berta.” She came and sat by me. "You men got names?  Mine is Brady Boyd? This is my wife-to-be, Berta. Her given name is Gorski.”

“Mine is Joe Arcand. That’s my squaw, Morning Sun.” Names came forth from all. I perked up when I heard some familiar names.

I asked, “Any of you ever run into a man by the name of Timothy Frachette?”

His head came up and he began swearing. “The son-na-va-bitch stole from us. Took our packs and wallets and all of the food he could carry. I’d kill him with my bare hands given the chance.”

“You’re a little late for that. That saddle on my mule that Berta is riding belonged to him. He doesn’t need it anymore.”

“Took him did you? Good for you.”

“Nope, not me.  The only time I touched him was to drag his dead carcass out of the campfire after he began to cook. It wasn’t me that shot him, either.”

“Brady, go ahead and tell what happened if you have to, but don’t be so dramatic about it.”

“Okay Berta. It went this way, me and my animals got off the boat coming up river. I came into Montana just above the Black Hills and came straight across. When I got almost to the Montana Mountains, I saw dust following behind me for two-three days. I stopped and thought I had better check it out. I was almost up to the campfire of those who had been following me when another horse drove into the camp I was heading for and started shooting.

“I was on the camp edge in the dark when this guy went after Berta. She was some scared I could tell, but when the man told her to come close or else, she went to him. She got up next to him and fired from her pocket. Then she pulled one of those little two-shot pistols and let him have both barrels in the face. He toppled right over into the campfire.

“I waited a bit until after she had checked and found her brother dead. We put our outfits together, traded to the Crows what we didn’t need and found good trapping. We’ve been out of the hills three days now. Truth to tell, Frachette had seen Berta before some place, and it was her he was after. He came up short on his brag and it killed him. I say she had the right since he had killed her brother and probably would have killed her after he was done with her.”

Joe, spoke, “I’d agree. You said she is your wife-to-be.”

“Yes I did. She is a good woman and we will be married when we come up with a preacher. I also have to say she is the best trapping partner I ever had and she pulled her weight every minute we have been working together. She may have started out a tenderfoot, but she isn’t one now.”

Berta spoke up, “You know I would be dead if it wasn’t for Brady. My brother had the crazy idea we could make it to Oregon before winter. I know now we never would have made it. Brady taught me what it takes to survive up here in the mountains and I think I could now. You have to plan ahead and be prepared.”

There was silence while the men contemplated what we told them. Berta got up and went to our packs.  She came back and laid three wallets on the ground in front of her. “I was going to turn these into the Fort Union trading post when we got there, but if you own them, take them.”

Three men got up. Pete Downs was younger than Berta, Tom Samson a year or so younger than me along with Harry Horshack, who looked to be about forty. They never hesitated, recognizing their property that had been stolen, picked them up. Each opened them. Seeing that the two or three gold coins were still there, they couldn’t believe their luck. “Thank you, Ma’am. You’re honest. I’m glad to get my papers back and I never expected to see them or my money again.”

Joe asked what our plans were. “We’re headed for the rendezvous at Fort Union. I hope the fur companies are paying more than last season.”

“I doubt it. I think we are going down through the Dakota Territory to Laramie. The last I heard they were paying almost as much there as in Saint Louis. There is another rendezvous where the Wind River comes down out of the basin. They won’t pay any better than at Fort Union, but my advice would be to come with us.”

“Joe, there are a lot more Indians around through there. I’ve heard when you go down through the Wind River country they are apt to come after you.”

“We’ll be east of there and my squaw is Shoshone and can speak up for us. She is related to a bunch of them.  There are eleven of us and you would make two more. I’m guessing you are well armed. We already know your wife can shoot.”

“Yeah, and it is only half as far this way to Saint Louis. Berta and I will talk tonight and we’ll let you know in the morning. For myself, I went down through that country after my first season, so I do know what the traveling would be like.”

“You better come with us. It’ll cost you a bundle with your mules and horse if you go down river by boat from Fort Union.” 

“The country through the territory will be rough for the cart. I said we had a good season, and I mean a good, good season. The cart is the only way to transport our furs.”

“Hell, if half what you told us about your wife is true about getting rid of that killer, these men would lay down their life for her. We’ll all give you a hand getting there. We might want a wing-ding before we break up, but that is all it would cost you.”

“Okay, I think that would be best the way for us. I’ll let you know for sure in the morning.”

We turned southerly and headed south. The Laramie trading post was both that and a fort. I was relieved to be traveling with the other trappers. Morning Sun worked not only for Joe, but tended the fire most of the time and did some sewing if one of the trappers brought her a torn shirt or pants for repair. She was treated with much respect. Berta was treated the same way. The men knew we weren’t married, but under the circumstances of how we came together, they understood.

Travel was easier, but only because there were so many hands to deal with the problems when they arose. I freely made my animals available. One man broke his leg and so I walked and he rode the rest of the journey. Our diet changed. I had hungered for venison during the winter. Now it was a staple. When the deer was shot for food, Morning Sun and Berta took the hide and made a stretcher for it. Our cart had hides hanging all over the sides.

We had to unload the cart though one difficult mountain pass. We made several trips carrying the bundled hides up and over on our backs. We then took the wheels off and attached poles to the underside and manhandled the cart box by hand. We actually had to tip it on its side to get through one narrow place.  Down the other side, we put the wheels back on and were soon on our way.

We met three different Army patrols. They wanted to know where we had trapped and what Indians we encountered. I told them about trading with the Crows and the others shared their experiences with the natives. The First Lieutenant acted worried, just saying that there had been some bad incidents recently between the whites and redskins.

We had our own brushes with the Indians, but when they realized how powerful we were, they backed off.  I didn’t think they were war parties anyway. If they could have gotten a scalp without danger, they would have gone after it. I was glad Berta and I weren’t alone.

I debated once of taking this route with just me and Berta. We never would have made it without finding a different route. Some of the area was high plains desert, but with the mountains, there were rivers and lakes to contend with. This was spring and crossing these streams was another danger.

Generally, we made good time. Joe Arcand and Morning Sun split off and headed for the Wind River Rendezvous lying west and a little north of where we were. When they left, Berta hated to see Morning Sun depart. The last word I had with Joe was that he would never leave these mountains; he would live out his life here. How long he would last could be debatable, but he was a smart man and still strong.

It took us twenty-five days to reach the Fort Laramie trading post, twenty-eight since we left our valley. Fort Laramie was bought by the army to help contain the Indians. Several of the trappers took what the fur company offered at the Laramie Post. I asked around of what was being paid for pelts in the settlement at Crow Creek Crossing. (Crow Creek Crossing became Cheyenne, Wyoming, eventually. I have adjusted the time line somewhat to fit this tale.)

The difference was enough for us to continue on our journey and take our chances they would bring more for us there. Pete Downs, Harry Horshack and Tom Samson, the three men who had gotten their wallets back from Berta decided they would go with us after selling their furs. They got a ride on a loaded freight wagon going along with us to the crossing. “You are our good luck, and besides that, we want to be at your wedding. We’ll stick with you that far anyway.”

——————————

We purchased grain for our animals and they were feeling chipper. We didn’t push ourselves and a few days later we were in civilization. This was a raw town and it seemed as if it was overly busy. I thought maybe it was because, to us, it was the crowd of people who were everywhere. Men were gathered on the street talking and men and women were going in and out of stores.

Wagon trains were coming through and would for a number of months yet. They were headed for California and the gold diggings. We had seen some Mormons at Fort Laramie, but they kept to themselves. Most of them were damned poor and some were pulling carts by hand. They were the same kind of cart as the one we had loaded with our fur.

There was traffic of buckboards, freight wagons, a couple of surreys, and we dodged a coach and six on our way to the Mercantile General store. This was no Saint Louis, but after the two of us living alone as we had all winter, it was pretty damned exciting.

The freight wagon driver told us where we could put up our animals and where we could find a boarding house for Berta. He was headed for the yard and we had to drive right by it. Berta was going to be sleeping in a bed! I would stay with my furs with Tom, Pete, and Harry bedded down near by. I rented a double stall at the livery stable to store the furs. There was room enough for me to throw my blankets on the floor. My three companions were to sleep in the hay loft. I sent them off to eat and to get a drink.

They came back in an hour to watch the furs while I went for a bath and haircut.  I had the Chinee at the bath house, steam and iron my one suit of clothes so I would look presentable. This had been rolled up in my pack these many months, and I intended to take Berta out to supper. That plan changed when I got to the boarding house, finding this was the best place in town to eat. Venison, beans and biscuits were on the menu ... every day. Well, maybe they served bear on occasion.

I entered the dining room. There were 24 people sitting at a long table. Three teenage youths, two girls and a boy, were bringing plates and bowls of food to replenish the ones that were rapidly being emptied. Berta wasn’t there. I asked of the oldest girl if Miss Gorski was still in her room. An older woman sitting at the table nearest the door I had just entered spoke up, “You must be Mr. Boyd. Berta is finishing doing up her hair. I am to direct you to the alcove off the sitting room if you arrived before she came down. It is through that door to the right.”

The woman was looking me over very intently, and so wasn’t everyone else staring at me. “My you are a handsome young man. She said you wore a beard and had your hair tied in a knot with a string. She won’t know you.”

“She said onetime she would always know me. I see there is an empty seat. May I sit in it until she comes in? I’d like to see if what she said is true.”

Everyone started smiling as this was a bit of diversion for everyone’s humdrum day. We could hear her descending the stairs. I made as if I was waiting for a plate. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Berta standing in the doorway. I barely recognized her. Her brown hair had been shortened and what was left had been put up and was held in place with some combs. It had been washed and brushed.  It shone, being somewhat lighter than I remembered.

She had on a dress of a light grey and it had a petticoat on underneath, for it flared slightly at the bottom. There was a shawl over her shoulders. Berta paused momentarily, and then came around the table behind me. I felt her hand on my shoulder and she turned my head and kissed my cheek. “Come Brady, we are to eat by ourselves.” I arose to my feet. There was a clamor of those present wanting us to eat at the table and get acquainted. The man sitting next to where I had been sitting got to his feet and told us to sit there because he was late for work.

Questions started flying about our lives, how we met, and how we knew each other. The two women who were present were shocked that Berta had spent the winter season alone in a cave with a man.

“Ma’am, let me explain. Berta was traveling for Oregon with her brother. He was killed, leaving her hundreds of miles from nowhere with winter bearing down. I came to their campfire after he died. Berta thought she should continue on, but I convinced her it would be the death of her.

“I informed her she had only two choices. One would be to try for Fort Laramie or here at the Crossing, but it would be very uncertain at best if she would be able to make it this far alone. The only other choice was to pool our supplies and stay the winter.

“I became her brother and she my tenderfoot helper. We lived as brother and sister all winter. On the last day in our cave, we talked about the future. We decided we would like to face the future together so I have proposed marriage. That will take place as soon as it can be arranged.”

“Miss Gorski, how did your brother die?”

“I killed the man after he shot my brother when he came into our camp. My brother died and the man meant me harm. Brady was close enough to hear the gunshots and investigated, finding me alone. Brady has been a perfect gentleman for these months. Tonight is the first time I’ve seen him without his beard and his hair cut. He is a very nice looking man.” Berta said this and then she blushed.

I wasn’t going to pass on letting her be the only one to say such nice things about someone. “Let me tell you a little about my partner. Berta did all of the cooking, helped clean the hides for stretching, took care of our animals if I was late getting back from servicing the day’s trap line, and best of all kept the fire going. And too, I wasn’t aware how beautiful she is before today.

“It is hard to tell what a woman looks like if she wears leggings and heavy clothes night and day. She kept her hair braided and I suppose it got as dirty as mine did. Now I can see how beautiful she is and even more than that, I’m glad I proposed when I did.”

“It is like opening a Christmas present wrapped in brown paper, isn’t it Brady?”

“It is.”

A man at the far end of the table asked, “Did you have a good season? How did you make out at the rendezvous?”

“We didn’t sell at the rendezvous. We still have our furs. Most if not all are prime. If I can’t find a buyer here paying more than what I have been offered, I may freight them east.”

“My name is Henry Green and I’d like to make you an offer. I missed making it up to the Laramie post or the rendezvous and I need to buy furs. I’ll pay top dollar because I won’t have to freight them down out of the mountains.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow at the livery stable next to the freight yard where I have a guard on them. To let you know, Miss Gorski owns almost half of them. I’ve taught her all about pelts and what makes a good fur versus a prime one. We’ll trade if you make us a fair offer.

“Do you have many?”

“All we could get into a one-horse cart plus what all one big mule could carry on pack racks. My horse had a pair of loaded racks on its back too. I’d say we have a goodly amount.”

“I’ll look you up in the morning.”

Berta and I didn’t have a chance to say anything about our personal life until we went up to her room. “Berta, where did you get the beautiful dress?”

“Sheila, the owner of the boarding house has gained some weight and said she would be glad to sell it because it didn’t fit her any more. I paid her a whole dollar for it.”

“I would have paid her five dollars if she asked.”

“Brady, that’s your heart talking. We are going to have a little money soon I hope. We are going to have to watch are pennies until we find something to work at. Have you any ideas what we can do yet?”

“I’ll ask you the same? It would be nice if it were something we both could be involved in. I mean I don’t want to go work on a ranch and leave you here in town.”

“Maybe you could work for some rich person and I could keep house for his family. That is what my mother and father did.”

“Berta, I want more than that for us. We’ll settle on something. We may have enough money to buy a little business or own our own farm or something.”

“I don’t care as long as we are together.”

“Berta, would you kiss me now that I don’t have a beard?” No hesitation at all and she was I my arms. She molded herself against me and she smelled, oh so sweet.

“We don’t stink anymore do we? I was so ashamed of how I smelled all winter, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I had the landlady burn my clothes because they were so soiled. Well, that was after I bought the dress. I didn’t want to get married in my birthday suit.”

“I wouldn’t mind that at all.”

“Brady, I think I am over my fear of men. I know you are going to be gentle with me. Coming together would have happened before this if we only had the chance to be clean. I’d like to share how it’s so very difficult sleeping in the same blankets with you and not being able to show you that I want you.”

“We’ll catch up, I promise. Berta, how do you feel about having children?”

“I want babies and we should get started soon because we are getting old. I’m twenty six now.”

“Okay, we’ll make babies just as soon as we are wed.” I hated to leave this woman tonight. I don’t think she realized how she had affected me in the past while we were under the same blanket. I had so many times “accidently” put my hand in intimate places on her while she was sleeping. If she only knew?

She did know. “Brady, I loved having you touch me sometimes. I always pretended I was sleeping, but I don’t think I ever was. I would have let you go further, but you always stopped.” 

So much for my sneaking around. I hugged Berta to me and kissed her. I let my hands roam over her. She shuddered and I thought her knees were going to buckle. Then her hands found me. Finally she pushed me away. It was my knees that were weak this time. I pecked her lips once more and backed out of the room. Luckily, for me the dining room was empty when I passed through.

I reached the livery stable. Tom, Pete and Harry had found a bottle and it was most empty. Anyone could have robbed me. I left them right there next to the gutter and crawled up under the manger. I took my suit off before lying down in only my wool union suit. I took out my pistol and had it at hand. Someone came by with a lantern and held it up to shine in. I cocked my pistol and whoever it was hurriedly moved on.

I washed up in the water trough when I woke at daylight. I had to put my old dirty buckskins on. I’d buy new as soon as the Mercantile opened. I figured the furs were safe enough. My three companions were still sleeping. I walked out into the street and could see someone sweeping off the porch leading into the store. I drifted over and found it open. Berta was there already. She was arguing with the clerk. “I’m a working woman and I need pants. I don’t have time to have some made. I’m selling my furs this morning and a pretty dress won’t do.”

“But ma’am we don’t carry long pants for women or no dresses either.”

“Well what do working women wear around here?”

“We carry all kinds of cloth, but we don’t stock ready-mades.”

“What are those things hanging up over there?” 

“Those are for men and boys.” 

Berta stalked over and flipped through the jackets. She found some linen shirts and held one up to see if it would fit. I was laughing and when she saw me, she stuck her tongue out at me. There was a light-colored dyed wool jacket she knew would fit and laid it on the counter. She went to the island where pants were stacked. She pawed through them. Most were linsey-woolsey. The clerk was shaking his head, hoping she would leave, I think because he didn’t know how to handle this woman.

I spoke, “Where are your whipcord clothes?” I knew every clothing store carried trousers of this material.

“Right over here, sir. They are much more costly.” I went through the pile and found a fawn colored pair that Berta would look good in.

“Here, Berta, these should do. You might have to take in the waist, but you can handle that.” I whispered, “Just don’t cut a piece out. I’m planning on you having to let them out in about three months.” Berta’s face got red and she glanced to see if the clerk had heard me and then she giggled. I found a whipcord vest for her. I picked out the same for myself.  My trousers were darker, and of the same material. 

There was a rack of buckskin jackets and we each picked out one of those. When it came to foot wear, there was nothing for boots or shoes here for us. The clerk suggested some hard-soled moccasins made by Indians. We bartered for them and we both found a pair to our liking. Mine were comfortable, and so were Berta’s.

When it came time to pay up, Berta handed me Tim Frachette’s wallet. “He’ll pay and keep on paying until he is just a memory. When the money is gone there will be just the saddle left.” There was $40.00 still to spend of the original $67.00. I subtly held Berta’s hand as we left the Mercantile, saying I would see her at the livery when the fur buyer showed up.

I was a little concerned that Berta would be ostracized for wearing pants on the street. She got around this by wearing a heavy wool skirt that came down to mid leg. She came into the livery stable office. She had on her purchases from earlier. She was attractive and the thought teased my mind wondering if she was armed. I’ll bet she was.

There was a loading dock in the hay barn. I had asked that it be swept free of chaff. I was told if I wanted it swept, I could do it myself. Tom, Pete and Harry were damned exuberant and there was dust everywhere, but they stayed with it until the bare boards came into view. The boards were polished to a shine from hay being dragged over them. It was perfect to display our pelts. The boys helped bring out the bundles of fur. It made an impressive pile on the back of the dock.

The fur buyer, Henry Green, arrived with an assistant. Berta also came up on the dock and took a seat next to the assistant. She had a paper tablet and three pens and a bottle of ink. Somewhere she had borrowed a lap desk to write on.

Pete, Tom and Harry began cutting the ties on the bundles. They opened the bundles with the green furs in them first. We had a few that weren’t stretched or dried and these were rolled with the fur side out. I was worried that they might have spoiled.  Henry knew his business. He looked them over and smelled them. They were close, but not putrid. The first bundle was Muskrat.

“Whoever cleaned and scraped these did damned well.”

“Berta did most of them, the smaller ones anyway. She ended up better at this than I ever was. She has more patience than me.”

Henry who had been trapping for years sorted them for size. “They look mostly prime, with just a few smalls. These are consistent so far. Where did you get these?”

“Up in the Crow Indian territory. Some of the pelts came from the Indians in trade.”

“You actually traded with them?”

“That’s right. We had good trade goods and they didn’t have to travel a couple hundred miles to find the same things at the trading post. I gave good value and both them and we were happy. That’s for now, but I’m afraid it won’t last much longer. The Indians are realizing that with the white men taking so many pelts it is leaving them with little. Nothing to trade for the things they have come to depend on. I wouldn’t be surprised that they might even go to war over it.”

“They won’t stand a chance of winning.”

“I agree, but a lot of people are going to die and it is all because the white man is so greedy.”

“You an Indian lover?”

“Not really, but I can see what is coming. This was my last trapping season. I had a freedom up there that I’m going to miss. Just think, if you and your ancestors had lived their way for hundreds of years, wouldn’t you fight for it?”

“I guess.”

Henry had been buying furs after giving up trapping. He handled each pelt deftly and made a decision of its grade. He had a ruler and measured it from the nose tip to the base. He indicated to his associate what it was and its worth. It was five in the afternoon, when the last pelt went through his hands. “Too bad you didn’t have any beaver. Price has been down the last two years, but came back this year. I hear those Frenchys are turning to silk. That will kill the beaver trade completely.

“You have done damned well. You brought out of the mountains what was common ten years ago. The amount of furs available for me to buy has been declining ever since. Well, let’s add up what these are going to cost me.”

We huddled around his associate and I agreed to just about everything. I did ask him to bump up the price by two dollars each for the two wolverines. He did that without quibbling. We argued over the price of the green furs, he wanted to drop them four bits from the dried ones. We finally settled by my dropping them two bits. This was so he could have them stretched and dried before they were freighted on.

“$2117.00 is what I make out for a fair price.”

“Let me talk to Berta alone for a minute, she is half owner.” He nodded his okay. “Berta, is this okay with you? You do own half of them.”

“Brady, take it. Quick before he changes his mind. In fact round it off to the $2,100.00 even though $17.00 would be three weeks pay for me cleaning house.”

I walked over to Henry, “We have a deal. $2,100 even and we thank you very much.”

“My pleasure. I’ll be shipping some prime furs and I would say they will be the best coming into the company this year. You can leave them right where they sit and I’ll have my associate bundle them up. Let’s go over to the bank.”

The manager of the bank, George Cosgood, was just coming down the steps. We went back in and opened up an account. I suggested we have one each, but Berta wasn’t having any of that, so we had a joint account set up. We only deposited $2,000, keeping $50.00 each for clothes and walking around money.”

——————————

When we came out of the bank, it was too late for a meal at the boarding house so we went into a diner. The menu was the same venison, beans, and biscuits that we ate at the rooming house, but this wasn’t nearly as good. I escorted Berta to the boarding house, telling her I was going for a drink, and maybe sit in on a card game.

“Is that wise? I mean we worked hard for the money.”

“Berta, we’ll do something together tomorrow. I haven’t played cards for months. If I had known I was going to have a partner with me trapping for the winter, I would have brought a deck with me. I won’t go broke, I promise.”

“Oh go and enjoy yourself. I’m going to start getting advice about our wedding.”

“Are you planning a big one with lots of people?”

“Nope, not very many. The ones who live and operate the rooming house and maybe some of the regulars who eat there. We’re going to have Harry, Tom, and Pete come aren’t we?”

“Of course. I wish Morning Sun and Joe Arcand had come down here with us.”

“I do too, Brady. We’ll probably never see them again.”

“I know. Berta, I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m still bunking in the livery stable.”

“Okay, kiss me. Four more days and you will be my husband. Then we can decide what we are going to do with our lives.”

“We have enough money now to go to California or even up to Oregon if you want to.”

“No way, it is too dangerous. I’m staying right here. I started out trusting my brother, but I now know it wasn’t safe. Well, maybe with you it would be, but I don’t want to chance it.” Our kisses were long and they didn’t stop until one of the boarders came by us and laughed. I just knew Berta’s face was red.

I went into a bar and ordered a beer. I liked it at room temperature, as seldom was there a chance to have it cooled. There were cards being played at four tables on one end of the room. I took my beer and watched for awhile. Most of the card players were drinking. I usually had a drink on the table with me, but I nursed it slowly.

I was a serious player if I sat in. This came from the year when I first reached Saint Louis from Ohio. I bunked with a gambler who had tuberculosis. Before the summer was done he was bedridden and died the day I signed on with my first trapping expedition. He taught me what he knew about gambling. “Remember son, if you play, play to win. No one plays to lose. If they do, it is either they aren’t reading the cards or the cards are not running for you that particular night.

“Get out if that is what your gut tells you to do. Observe the other players. Everyone has their quirks and tells. You can soon figure out who has the cards and who is bluffing if you pay attention. It is like reading a mystery book. The clues are there to be picked up or missed. You can still win if you don’t have the cards, by reading the players and playing your game and not theirs.”

This advice had stood me in good stead and when I didn’t make anything trapping, I filled my wallet by winning at cards in the off season. Last year I did well and had money to outfit myself and go into the mountains a free trapper. 

Pete, Harry and Tom were playing at different tables. Harry won a sizable pot and got up to get a drink. He winked at me so I knew he wouldn’t be going back to the table. This was an excuse to leave the game. I asked at the table if I could sit in and the other players saw Harry wasn’t coming back so they said yes. My sitting down filled the table. 

“What’s the game?”

“Dealer’s choice but most usually we play five card stud. This is a friendly game just to pass the evening away.”

To me there is no friendly game. I soon saw that there was one other serious player besides me. He soon recognized that I was too. When he had a run of cards that didn’t go his way, he left the game. Two hours later I was playing with someone else’s money. I gave Harry, who was still hanging around, three double eagles and told him not to give them back to me. I would play with the money on the table in front of me until it was gone or the other players quit, leaving me being the winner.

Fresh blood came in and sat down every so often when some player went bust. I took it that some of the gamblers watched and when they saw money on the table in front of a seated player, they went after it. I recognized one whose action indicated he was cheating. After he won the third pot when he had the deal, I waited until he had the deal again. 

Just before the last round of cards were to be dealt for this hand, I spoke, “Gentlemen, I’d like to make a little side bet, if you don’t mind.” There was a pause to see what I had in mind. “I would like to make a bet that the card on the bottom of the deck we are playing with is an ace. In fact I am so sure of it, I would bet $5.00 it is. If the dealer agrees with me, he can get up and walk away, leaving the money in front of him on the table. I’ll take my $5.00 out of that and the rest of you can split his winnings. 

The dealer wanted to deny it, but with the looks on the faces of those seated around the table, he thought he better get out with his life while he could. He suddenly pushed his chair away and hurried out the door. I calmly counted out my $5.00 from his pile and added it to mine. A player across the table from me said, “You won your bet and we’ll split what he had amongst all of us. I hate a cheater.”

One of the players was a freighter who owned the freight yard next to the livery stable. He was sober and a serious player. When he didn’t have the cards he would fold and wait for the next hand. He played and seldom tried to fill a straight or go after three of a kind. He had one fault and I recognized it was something he did unconsciously. He would snuff his nose if he thought he had the other players beat.

I had been playing over nine hours, seven of it with other people’s money. This hand started out with a game of jacks or better to open. The freighter, whose name was Jack Abram, had set in on the game after midnight. It was now six in the morning and the sun was up. I decided this would be my last hand. Jack was about out of money and this time he must have caught a good hand. I didn’t have the cards to open. Jack was dealing.

I took two cards and he stood pat. He was snuffing with almost every breath. I saved the ten, the jack and the ace of clubs. Would I have kept going if I was playing with my own money? I would with this hand after I saw what I had drawn for cards. It was a hand that couldn’t be beat. We started bidding. He would bid and I would see and raise him. Jack was soon out of money.

He was in a sweat. “Brady, I know I have a winning hand. Can I put up something against your last bid?”

“Like what? I have a pair of mules and a horse. I certainly don’t want any more livestock so it has to be something good.”

“Would you if I threw in the wagons and all my livestock? I have to admit I don’t own the property and the lease on the lot runs out in four months. I’d say what I own is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $3,900. I have some contracts with different businesses to move freight. That’s worth another $500 dollars. I also don’t owe a penny. I’ll put a bill of sale in the pot, if you’ll put $500 dollars into the pot out of what you have on the table.”

“I could call you after my raise if you can’t meet it. The pot would be mine by default.”

“You could, but I’m figuring you have a damned good hand too. I’m betting my freight business that my hand is better than your hand. You put the $500 in and we’ll show our cards.”

“Write it up. I may be crazy, but this is just a card game to me.” None of the onlookers had any idea what we held in our hands. The owner of the bar brought ink and paper and he witnessed the agreement. I pushed a stack of 25 double eagles into the pot.  If I lost and I didn’t see how I could, I still had $200 to take to Berta when I saw her this morning.

“Jack, do you want to show our cards all at once or do you want to do it card by card?”

“Let’s do it the slow way. You start.” I laid down the ten of clubs.

Jack laid down the three of diamonds. I went up through the sequence and alternated my cards with his to end with the ace. He had the three, four, five, and six of diamonds. Jack knew when I laid down the ace of clubs, my last card, he had lost. Automatically he laid down the seven.

He sat there stunned. It was unbelievable to see two straight flush hands in the same game. “Brady, you won. This game was fair and I’m not sorry how we played it.”

“Jack, this was quite a game and I’m almost sorry you lost. What are you going to do now?”

“Do you want to hire a mule skinner? I was one long before I got into owning the freight business.”

“How about being my manager and you can teach me the how to operate the freight business? The job pays $800.00 a year.”

He didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take it. That’s about what I make in a poor year and I won’t have all the headaches.

“Good, I’ll see you this afternoon. I’ll be late because I have been here twelve hours and I need sleep. You had better get some sleep yourself.”

He grinned. “Okay, Boss.” We staggered toward the livery stable, tired to the bone. Jack went into the freight yard. I couldn’t manage the rungs to the loft, and saw that the horse stall I had slept in last night was empty, so I laid down there. I would wake up feeling good about everything after I had some sleep. Now I was just numb from weariness.

I made it to the rooming house before dinner was finished. I came in and Berta was still at the table. I sat down beside her and leaned back for plate and utensils to be placed in front of me. I started loading it from the platters. Venison was on the menu. What a change of pace. “Hi. I need to talk to you. I have news.”

“I have heard some of it. I heard you had a friendly game of cards last night.”

“I did. I had also had an exceptional run of luck.”

“I heard that too. I also hear you ran a crooked gambler out of town. Brady, you have to be more careful. I can’t have you getting killed.”

“Berta, there was no danger. I just made a bet and the player wouldn’t show his cards. He was cheating me, but he was also cheating everyone else at the table. It was best for him to get out. He made the right choice.”

“Okay, maybe. Harry brought me some money this morning.  He said you had given it to him to hold.”

“Yeah, after two hours at the table I played with other people’s money the rest of the night. I figured I would lose it eventually and surely by midnight, but it didn’t work out that way. Oh, you wondered what we were going to do for work after we sold the furs. I know what I am going to do and I hope you will join me.”

A quirky little smile appeared on her face. “I have heard about the game already. And what would you have in mind for me? Maybe me becoming a teamster?”

“No, not that, I don’t doubt but what you would be a good one. I was thinking more of you keeping the books for a freight business.”

“Does this business have a name?”

“Yep, Gorski’s Freight Company.”

“Thanks for thinking of me, but I like “The Royal Flush Freight Line” better. Hauling freight isn’t too romantic, so we have to give the company a romantic name. When you finish dinner, escort me down there so I can see what you won.”

“I’ll do that. So tell me, how are the plans for our wedding coming along?”

“All set. The preacher will do the ceremony for $3.00. Sheila said we could use the yard behind the building if we would pay $1.00 extra for each one of the help. That means her, her three kids and the cook. We pay the regular meal price for each guest. You and I don’t have to pay for ours.  That’s her wedding present to us. If you want liquor, you have to bring the bottles.”

“What else is there to do? What about a cake?

“That’s another $3.00. These are just details Brady. My biggest concern is that we have to find a place for our first night together. I want to be alone with you.”

“Okay, I’ll find someplace. We’ll have to have our own home soon anyway. I’ll look around. I want to ask you. Do we have to live in town? I thought maybe I’d find some property a couple of miles out. I’ll be moving the freight yard by fall anyway. If we had our own home, would you mind if the freight business was nearby?”

“That’s a great idea. When I start having babies, I could be a mother and help in the business at the same time. I warn you though I’ll be wearing different clothes than what the women in town do. I got used to men’s wear last winter and I feel naked in dresses.”

“Berta, I don’t care what you wear in the daytime, but at night I’m going to be keeping you warm. The women of the town will be shocked if you show yourself in men’s clothes. Do you want to be put yourself through having them look down on you?”

“Brady, I will wear a dress when I go to town, but at home and in the yard, I’ll wear what I want.”

“That should work. So if we are a little unconventional, who cares?”

Berta did wear a dress over her trousers when we visited the yard. The tiny office was a nasty hole and there was an overflowing spittoon in the corner. There appeared to be no organization to it at all. I introduced Berta to Jack. I explained that when Berta became my wife, she would be working in the office. In his opinion, Jack was appalled because this wasn’t women’s work. He was trying to get things organized, but he wasn’t having much luck.

 “Brady, I didn’t want to leave the books undone before I gave the business over to you, but as you can see it will take awhile to figure out where the business stands. I never was good at doing paperwork and hated every minute of it.”

“Okay, with Berta you will figure it out. She will be helping you. Just so you know; you are invited to our wedding. It will be Saturday afternoon behind the rooming house. Will there be some of our teamsters in town? They are invited too.”

“They are a rough bunch. Do you want them at the wedding amongst the town folk?”

“Probably not a good idea, so I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you all come to the wedding and I’ll furnish a couple of bottles and you all can come back to the yard to celebrate my nuptials after you eat.”

“That’ll work. It’ll be a good way to meet your wife. I take it they will be seeing a lot of her?”

“That’s right. Maybe you can pass on that her name is Berta. I have a pet name for her and they will hear me call her that, but she is to be addressed as Berta or Mrs. Boyd by you and the help.”

“Good, I’ll do that. Come out into the yard and see what you won this morning. I’m hoping in a couple of weeks I can go out with the wagons occasionally.”

“I’ll see that you do, but only after I learn how the business works. I’m paying you to be the manager first, but after that, you can schedule yourself in to drive a team occasionally.” Jack nodded.

The rolling stock was all in good shape and the teams and harnesses were the same. The stables were clean and Jack was buying good fodder to feed the teams. This was a good business and the yard was well managed. What went on in the office had to be organized better and whether I could improve on that, time would tell.

“How profitable is the business? The wagons look as if they have barely been used.”

 “Maybe not, but that is because I have kept them in repair. Probably more’n I have needed to. There is another freight outfit on the other side of town. They undercut me and I don’t know how they stay in business. They have twice as many wagons as I do. They work their teamsters longer hours and they are always having to replace their stock. I take care of my equipment and stock. I do have to charge more to move freight, so I guess it all averages out at the end of the day. I sleep better at night knowing I am doing my best for all.”

“That sounds good to me. We’ll keep to that policy. Maybe we will need more wagons and stock.”

“No chance for it here. No room. The town has grown up around the livery stable and he wants to expand so he is raising the lease for next year.”

“Berta and I have already talked about moving outside the town limits. We also have to make ourselves a home. Ideally we can find a piece of property to have both the yard and a house.”

“I’ll inquire around if you wish. How much land are you looking for?”

“Ten acres would be enough, but twenty acres would be better.”

“You’re going to have to go out a couple of miles from the settlement then.”

“That’s okay. The livery stable has to be close in so people can leave their horse and walk to the hotel or the businesses. If the yard is out a ways we’ll have a buck board to use for coming in when anyone has to.”

“That would work.”

“Where do we stand on payroll and working capital?”

“We’re good for a week or two. By that time, two of the wagons will be in with supplies here for the Mercantile. The store pays as soon as the supplies are on their dock. This will keep us going for the week after that. Something always turns up to keep the business afloat. Talk to the fur buyer you sold your furs to. They have done business with me before. If you can get him, that will mean when we have a pickup in Denver, we’ll be loaded both ways.”

“The amount I sold him won’t fill more than one wagon.”

“I know, but the furs from Fort Laramie will be here by then. All and all it will take up three wagons. What I have contracts for coming from Denver will need three teams. Sometimes we lay over for a few days if we can fill going both ways.”

“I guess I can get onto how this works. If I know everything is fine in the yard, I can concentrate on drumming up business.”

“Yeah, and if your missus can handle the paperwork, that’ll help you a lot. Me, I’ve had to do everything and sometimes I’ve just about torn my hair out. Brady, I’m feeling glad you won the business from me already.”

“Thanks, Jack. I think you and I will get along fine. You know up until that last hand I was thinking if you won the hand, I was going to ask if you had a job for me.”

“Well, I probably would have hired you.”

“You won’t see much of Berta and me until after we get married. You can chase me down if something comes up. For now, I’m leaving things in your hands. I’ll be in next Tuesday.”

“You ain’t taking a honeymoon?”

Berta spoke up, “No, we spent the winter together so we know each other pretty well. We just want to get on with our lives. A couple of days after we are married we’ll be in to work. One other thing, I’ve got used to being called Berta, so that is the way I would like to be addressed.

“Whatever you say, Ma’am.  I’ll see you at the wedding.”

We left the wagon yard, leaving Jack to continue working on the books. I was thinking that if he was as good as he appeared to be, I might cut him in on some of the profit ... that is if there was any. “Berta, let’s stop at the bank. I have my winnings with me and I might as well deposit them.”

“You mean you won more than just the freight business?”

“Sure did. I have more than $1,000 in cash.”

“Wow, you did have a good game. Maybe you should just gamble for a living.”

“No, I won’t do that. There is satisfaction in winning, of course, but after a while, the money doesn’t mean much. It is even worse when you lose it all which has happened to me a few times. I doubt I will ever gamble again. The other night I wouldn’t have minded losing the fifty dollars. Now though I have so much more to lose and I just won’t gamble it at all. Now I want to build something.”

“You mean the freighting business?”

“Yes, but more importantly, a good life for us. You spoke about babies. I’m anxious to get started and to make love to you.”

“I’m ready to make love. If we only had a place to be alone we could start anytime.”

“Tomorrow, let’s take a ride out in the country. We can take some blankets, find a secluded spot and see what happens.”

“Great. Thinking back, we should have done this when we were in the cave alone.”

“I don’t think you were ready at the time. It would have been hell if it didn’t work out and you came to hate me.”

“Maybe I wasn’t ready when we first got to the cave, but after I was so sick and you took care of me, I often thought what it would be like for us to make love.”

“Two more days and you will know for sure. Berta I’m not much for saying I love you, but please know I do.”

“I love you too.”

We went into the bank. Cosgood approached. “Mr. Boyd, I understand you now own the freight business. I would like to assure you that you can come to me if you need any financing or for advice.”

“That’s nice to know. You wouldn’t know of any land on the outskirts of town that that the bank has for sale?”

“Well I might. What do you need for land?”

“I have in mind I need some flat land, have water and maybe a little wood. It would be nice if it had a cabin on it, but not necessary.”

“Let me check. We had some land listed that we foreclosed on last fall.” He went out into his office. I went over to the teller and deposited my winnings of $1,070.00. When I finished and had my deposit slip the manager motioned to me from his office.

“I have two properties both with a cabin on the books. One has five acres and has quite a nice building. There are no trees on the property, but there are some close by where you can get wood. Water is from a spring.

“The other property is a lot of forty acres. There is a creek that splits the acreage down the middle. The dwelling isn’t much and it has a woodlot of ten acres. The woodlot is on the hillside behind the building. The shanty is made out of slabs from a mill that was in the area at one time. I don’t remember if the shanty has a floor in it. Seems to me that it doesn’t.”

“What are the prices?”

The one with the acreage is five dollars an acre only and the shanty has no value which makes it $200. The other one is $200 too, because the building is almost ready to move into.

“Give us directions and we’ll look at them tomorrow.”

“I understand you are getting married Saturday. Congratulations.”

“Thank you. Would you like to come to the ceremony?”

“Maybe I will. Nice to have young people moving into the area. Especially those who plan to settle and work here.”

“Thank you. We’ll be talking with you tomorrow afternoon when we get back. Can we get inside of the buildings to inspect them?”

“Both are unlocked. Just walk in. There may have been someone sleeping in them occasionally, but folks are usually nice and leave it as good as they found it.” It was suppertime by now and we headed for the rooming house to eat. I was beginning to drag because I hadn’t had any sleep last night and precious little today.

When we finished eating, Berta suggested we saddle up and go look at least one property before dark. We had two hours. I got the horse and one mule and came by and got Berta. She tied a bundle of blankets on behind the mule. It was a warm night and Berta had on her man’s outfit that we had purchased at the Mercantile. One of the boarders met her coming out and looked disgusted when Berta swung astride the saddle. Berta giggled and said, “Let’s go.”

We looked at the 40 acre lot first, because it was right beside the trail. That goes to where there were a couple of areas where the wagon trains stopped for a day or two before moving on. The shanty wasn’t much, just as Cosgood, the manager at the bank had said. The building was nestled on a higher level near the woodlot. From there we could look down and view the rest of the property below. The sun was just about ready to go down behind the hill back of us to the west. In the morning when the sun rose in the east, it should be something.

We pulled the latch string and went inside. There was a dirt floor as the banker thought. The shanty was about eight by fourteen feet. There was a raised pallet along the end and it was big enough for two people to sleep on. I turned and looked at Berta. “I think this is just what we need?”

Berta didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll get the blankets from the mule.” I can’t say I was any kind of experienced lover. I would have to leave it to Berta to guide me and I said so.

“Brady, the only sex I have had was horrible for me. Please start by cuddling and kissing me. I have never had love, but anything you do, I know love is behind it.”  I suppose I had listened to men talk about their prowess, but I figured it was just brag. It didn’t take us long to warm up. We took off our clothes and started again. It was still light outside, but very dim inside.

It was much like being in the cave last winter. Now though, we were both clean, comfortable and lying naked against each other. A few minutes later, Berta guided me to her and made sure I didn’t have to fumble around too much before I was there. “Oh Brady, this is so wonderful. Thank you for being so patient with me.”    

“Waiting for you has been all worth it. I just know we are going to have a wonderful life together.”

“I know so too. You can move a little faster now if you want to. I think I’m ready for what is coming.” A short time later, Berta kissed me, telling me again, how wonderful this all was. Eventually I remembered I hadn’t hobbled the horse and mule.

“Brady, go out and do it now and then come back to me. We just have to stay here all night. I want to lay awake, cuddle and talk for a little while before we go to sleep. Then I want to wake up next to you in the morning.”

We were ready for more loving when we did wake. Later I mentioned I was hungry. “No problem, I came prepared. Brady, I have jerky in the pack and we can drink from the creek. It will be the best breakfast ever.” We decided to not even look at the other property. We had already made this our home.

We came into town and Berta got down in front of the rooming house. There were the two other women and two men who lived there in the sitting room when she went by and up to her room. Getting to know this woman, I knew she would go by them with head held high. I went on to the freight yard.  I was stabling my horse and mules here now that I owned the business. I went over to the bank and saw George Cosgood.

Chapter Three

“Mr. Boyd, I’m surprised to see you this morning. Did you decide not to look at the properties?”

“We went out to see the one with the forty acres. We like it and would like to buy it. Do you have the deed?”

“I do. I’ll sign it over to you. By the way it was originally owned by a man named Newell and that is what the place goes by. There is no street address. You can go into the land office and show them your deed and they will update the records.” I withdrew money from my account, paid the price and went to the record office and got that done. 

I returned to the freight yard and talked to my manager, Jack Abram. “Where can I buy some boards and find a man or men to do some carpentry?”

“We buy from a mill here locally. What do you need a carpenter for?”

“I bought the Newell place out west of town an hour ago. There is a shanty on it. I’d like to get it a little more livable so I can take my wife there when she moves from the rooming house. That will be sometime next week. I want the floor boarded over and the walls covered. You can see right through the gaps in the slabs. It should have a window overlooking the lower land too. We’ll want to see the sun come up. I guess the door is okay and the frame looks solid enough.  I may enlarge the building before winter. I’ll be staying there until I get it fixed up for Berta.”

“Are you going to locate the freight yard on the property?”

“That’s the plan. It will be set up on the flat land on the town side of the creek. We should construct a bunkhouse for the teamsters and I’ll want sheds built to cover the wagons. I want those out of the weather. Who is the blacksmith or do we have our own? What else are we going to need to set up out there?”

“You have a man that has been with me and he is a good smith. He keeps the teams shod and does all the metal work at the forge. We buy chain lengths and he makes the hooks for them. He also hammers out and fits the wagon tires. Our only problem is getting charcoal for the forge. That’s hard to come by. You’ll need stables and corrals for the stock. We will need canvas for the wagons and last thing we should have before winter is a hay barn. I have been stacking the hay and covering it with canvas, but some of it always spoils.”

“Will the teamsters work moving everything?”

“Sure they will. If there isn’t any freight to haul, they just hang around playing cards. None of them are married. No extra women around. You let them have a bunkhouse to live in and they will build the whole shebang for you. Maybe if you furnish a bottle on Saturday night it’ll all get done sooner than you think. I have to tell you this is all going to cost you a bundle you know?”

“I know, but for me it is the chance of a lifetime. I’ll be out drumming up business next week.

“That’ll be good. I’ll lay out the rates we charge. There are a couple of Army Posts that I have given thought about approaching. I think we could pull in business from Fort Laramie. There are ranches that are beginning to move up into the territory. Not many yet and the government is trying to keep them out because of the treaties they made with the Indians. You can’t keep working people away from good land so the Army is having trouble containing the whole mess. This country was built on work and it all starts with the land.

“I’ll begin with the Army. It looks as if this settlement is going to be a hub for the whole territory. I think freighting is a good business to get into.”

“I found it a lot of headaches, but if you like that stuff, I can see where you will do better than me.”

“Jack, from what I have seen of you, I’d say you have done damned well.”

“Thanks for that. Let me see what I can do about getting you and your missus' house livable. I have some ideas.”

“Thanks, Jack, I appreciate it.”

I went over to the rooming house and talked with Berta. She let me into her room, which I guess she wasn’t supposed to do. We came down for supper. I looked out onto the street. There was one of my wagons loaded with lumber headed out of town. I wondered; could this possibly be going out to the Newell place? I didn’t say anything to Berta. I would find out tomorrow when I took my bride there to consummate our marriage.

I didn’t stay long after the meal was over. “Are you playing cards tonight?”

“No Berta, my card playing days are done. Actually, I am so tired I don’t know which end is up. Since we came to town I’ve been on the go constantly. So much has been accomplished, though. I’ve put more money in the bank; I’ve acquired a business, bought a piece of property to take my bride to and best of all I have spent hours making love to the woman who is to be my wife.

“I’ll get some sleep tonight and be ready to go again tomorrow. I’m sorry your brother died for us to find this happiness.”

“Don’t be sorry. I would be dead if you weren’t there to save me.”

“Something to tell our grandchildren wouldn’t you think?”

“They won’t believe us.”

“Maybe not, but we’ll know.”

I went to the diner in the morning. Pete, Tom, and Harry came in. They were busting me about getting married this afternoon. I asked them if any of them had ever driven a team. None of them had. Tom said he had seen Jack about hiring on as a swamper, and he had been told to see me. He thought I might. 

Knowing there was going to be a lot of labor involved in moving the business to the Newell place, I said to tell Jack to put them on the payroll as laborers. They would be working for a dollar a day.

“Hey Brady, we were over to that freight outfit on the other side of town.”

“Why were you over there? You should have come to me first.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t have gone to work there. We heard the owner’s name was Frachette. I think he is brother to the bastard that robbed us. He certainly has a family resemblance.”

“Well, he wasn’t the one to rob you. Better keep away from him. Probably a good idea to not let out what happened to his brother.”

“We won’t. Berta is safe. He wouldn’t dare harm her because she is a woman.”

“We don’t know that. It didn’t stop Tim Frechette from killing her brother just to get to her.”

“Okay, we’ll keep our mouths shut. Brady, you only have five more hours as a free man. I think we ought to have a drink.”

“No way. I’m staying sober on my wedding day.” I realized I was being kidded and we had a great laugh. I walked back to the freight yard and looked for Jack. He wasn’t anywhere around.

The stable swamper said, “Jack and some of the teamsters went off somewhere with a load of lumber last evening and haven’t come back. They’ll be here this afternoon. The new owner is getting married over to the rooming house. I haven’t met him yet. He probably wouldn’t want me there so I guess I won’t go although Jack said every one of us was invited.”

“Hey, I think you should. I heard the guy getting married is going to spring for some whisky.”

“Maybe I will at that. Nobody said anything about there being drinks.” I left the four men talking and went over to the rooming house to see Berta. There was excitement in the air. Sheila was rushing around more than ever.

I went up to Berta’s room and got a kiss good morning. “Brady, I’m going to be wearing the grey dress I bought to wear the first time you saw me here. Is that okay?”

“Fine with me. We will spend our money on making a home for ourselves. I’ll be wearing the suit I had on that same day.”

“Oh, please wear the clothes you bought at the Mercantile. I wish I could wear mine.”

“I don’t think you had better. You would be ostracized by the ladies of the town forever.”

“I know. Are we going out to the Newell place to stay tonight?”

“I’d like to. We’ll be able to do some planning. We should be able to move what little stuff we have within a week or two and live there permanently.”

“Our first real home together. Neither of us have had a home for years, have we?”

“My thoughts exactly.” I left Berta there and went over to one of the bars and ordered a case of whisky. It was to be delivered to the freight yard during the wedding. I asked if they had a bottle of champagne. I was told no. I discovered there was none in town so I had to settle for brandy. I had three bottles delivered to the rooming house.

I wandered around the settlement until noon and then went into the barber shop with my clothes and got a bath and was shaven close again. I presented myself at the rooming house. I told Sheila what to do with the brandy I had brought with me. I was escorted out back to the far side of the yard. A chair had been placed for me to sit on to wait for my bride. She would be coming out the same door and then across to me. 

People were coming in. There were no seats. Henry Green and Jack Abram came in and stood there talking with me. Henry said he did have three freight loads of furs to go on to Denver next week. He was surprised it was me he was doing business with and had to hear the tale of the poker game. The preacher came in and sat where I had, waiting to start the ceremony. He was older than I expected. Not too clean and pretty rough looking. Jack informed me that in the past he had carried a gun and hired it out. When he had killed someone by accident, he found the Lord and took up preaching.

There was a bustle at the door and the two women who roomed at the house came out followed by Berta. Berta only had eyes for me as she came toward me. I took her hand and we swung to face the crowd. The preacher began by saying a prayer. It was just of a few words and then he went into the traditional ceremony. Both of us stumbled over the words, us being naturally nervous. Seven minutes later, I was kissing my wife and we were taking congratulations and best wishes for a long and happy marriage.

There were nearly thirty people present. They hurriedly put planks on saw horses and grabbed tin bowls from the pile where Sheila, had placed them. She then started bringing out kettles of beef stew. Last year’s potatoes were soggy, but it did have peas, the only vegetable to come out of early gardens. To make up for the small variety, there were stacks of fresh bread and tubs of butter. The guests could get their bellies filled for the quantity was abundant.

I mentioned to Jack while the cake was being served that there was a case of whisky waiting for the men back at the yard. Jack let the word out. There was a sudden exodus by more than half of those present. Soon after that Sheila came around with trays of glasses with what looked like milk.

Sheila caught everyone’s attention. “Please, a toast to the bride and groom. May they have a happy life together?” Glasses were raised and, “hear, hear” was shouted. People rarely mixed their drinks and to have brandy mixed with milk was unheard of. The party broke up soon after this, leaving just the people who lived here still talking together. The wedding might not be remembered by many, but Berta and I would.

Berta went up to her room to change. I went for our animals. I had to stop for one drink with the men who were well on their way to being drunk. Jack laughed, “I saved a couple of bottles for tomorrow morning. Hair of the dog you know. You had better put your pack racks on your horse. The men bought a little sheet metal stove over at the hardware store for a wedding present. There is a basket for the other rack with some food in it at the rooming house. You are going to need to keep up your strength or you’ll never make it into work on Tuesday.”

“Why did they do that?”

“Beats me, but so far, you and Berta are coming up aces in their book. Most of these men have never been to a wedding before and if they had a family, they know they will never see them again. They’ve taken you for their own.”

I walked out to where the men were drinking. “Men, thank you for the presents. I never had much and I appreciate it more than you know. You’ll find Berta will too. We’ll see you on Tuesday.” I had to turn away; I was so touched by this.

Berta came out as I pulled up. She had a large blanket roll and a large food basket. “Sheila sent the remains of the cake.”

“What was left of the cake wasn’t that much. I’m hoping there is some bacon for breakfast in there. Notice I have a stove to cook it on?”

“I know all about it. Jack clued me in.”

“Let’s go, I want to get this marriage started right.”

We jogged out the trail to the Newell place. When we got to where we could see the shanty, we were amazed to see raw boards nailed on the outside. This had been done since we left yesterday morning. Berta pulled up and stared. “Oh, look there is a new window, but it is blocked up with just a hole in the middle.”

“I think that’s for the smoke pipe for the chimney to come out of. We’ll build a real chimney as soon as we can.”

I had a picket rope with me and I strung it between two trees where there was some grass and tied the animals to it. I set the stove up and put the stove pipe out through the window. There was an armful of slab wood cut up in the corner. I had thought to have the inside boarded up and I would before winter. This would be a tight little cabin when it got colder.

“Brady, are you hungry?”

“Just for you, sweetheart.” 

“I made up our bunk while you were stringing the horses. I think we should try it out to see if it is comfortable.” I grinned and started taking off my clothes.  Berta beat me by getting naked first.

“Berta, before you get on the bed, let me look at you? You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen.” I watched my coquettish wife finally get on the bed. With wide open eyes, she watched me come toward her. Her arms opened ….

Before dark, I set up the chimney and the stove. The smoke pipe was already here. It must have come with the lumber last night. Candles had been included in the basket. There was a frying pan and a couple of small steaks. There were a tin of cooked potatoes to heat up in the pan after the steaks were done. I was guessing that this was intended for dinner tomorrow, but it was tonight we were hungry.

I saw to the horses first thing in the morning. There were eggs and bacon on the metal plates when I came back in. We didn’t have any chairs so we sat on the edge of the bunk. “Let’s go for a walk up behind the cabin. We can get a good view from there.” We went and found a big rock to sit on so we could look down on our 40 acres.

We imagined where we would place the barns and the wagon sheds. We thought the bunkhouse should be beside the wagon sheds. The hay barn would be directly in front of the stables. There would be two corrals, one on each side of the stables. We would also have one big corral across the creek to hold oxen for wagon trains. I had in mind to have some oxen and horses on hand if I could find them to sell to the wagon trains if they needed replacements. There was to be a small office just inside the hay barn.

“Brady, that won’t work at all. We’ll need heat in the winter time. That will be with a wood stove and a spark might burn the barn down.”

“We’ll sort it out. We have to have a place for the forge too. Maybe we’ll put both the office on one end of the wagon sheds. We have four months to get it done. The good thing is that Jack knows everyone.

“I’m going in Tuesday to see where I’m at and then I’m going to start talking to all the businesses in town about what their needs are. I’ll bet I can get more of them to use The Royal Flush freight line. “

“I’m going into the yard with you and get started on how to keep records. I did the household accounts for one of the people I used to work for. I know a little about it.”

“Good, cause I know diddly squat. I didn’t have much schooling because I left home too young.”

“I wouldn’t know that. You speak well. You said you can read and write and I know how intelligent you are. Brady, you’re one of those people who are going to do well with anything you attempt.”

“I think you are the same. Where did you get your education?”

“I was able to learn right along with the kids of the people I kept house for. They had tutors. As long as my work was finished I could sit in on the lessons.”

“I would say we are well suited for each other, wouldn’t you?” We lazed around the rest of the day. The only other thing we did was to decide what we would need to furnish our home. We had more conveniences here than at the cave during the past winter. Living here we wanted comfort. We had worked hard enough for it. Monday it was much the same for us. Tuesday morning we went to work.

——————————

I met some more of our teamsters that had arrived over the weekend. Four of the men who had been at our wedding were on the road. We met the ones who weren’t. Jack said, “Berta, now that you have met everyone, we’ll go into the office and get started. I did work all weekend on getting organized. You both are lucky to have each other to run the business together. I didn’t have that luxury. You both should learn each other’s skills, so if something happens to one of you, you still have the business to support yourself.”

We spent two hours in the office and then went out into the yard. We stopped and watched Hammer, the blacksmith, shoe a horse. It didn’t take him very long. The next one, the shoes had to be fitted from a standard blank. This was heated in the forge and then hammered into the shape of the horse’s hoof.

Berta was interested in how the bellows was operated. It was hooked up to an overhead arm that raised and lowered the bellows. You pulled the arm down to draw air into the bellows. There was a flapper valve the prevented air from escaping except when it was forced out through the nozzle. The smith controlled it by just reaching up while at the anvil. Basically, two operations at once to get the most heat from the forge to heat one shoe and to work at the anvil on another.

A messenger boy came in and told Jack that the load of lumber from the saw mill was ready to be delivered up to Fort Laramie. The teamster and his swamper came out and hooked a six-horse team to a huge freight wagon. One of the wheel horses stepped over the trace chain and was tangled. The teamster calmed the horse and finally got the chain unhooked and the horse back into line before re-hooking it. 

Everything ready, they made a wide swing out of the yard and with chains jangling, they took off at a fast pace. It was open country and they would be going by the Newell property. Jack said they would be back sometime on Saturday.

Berta and I went over to the Mercantile and looked at some furniture. We needed a table and two chairs and a mattress for the built-in bunk. Actually, there wasn’t any room for anything else besides the stove. We took care of ordering and I said I would pick it up by six this evening. It was dinner time so we went to the rooming house to eat. Berta told Sheila she would have her own home now and would be leaving by Friday.

Berta went back to the freight yard and I went around to the different business informing all that I was the new owner of Jack’s former business. I said my wife wanted a new name for the business so we were calling it The Royal Flush Freight Line. The town wasn’t that large so everyone got the connection. I was asked how Jack felt about losing the business and I said he appeared to be okay with it. I had hired him as my manager and he seemed to be happy.

I went into my competitor’s freight yard and introduced myself. Harry had told me that the owner looked like the Tim Frachette who had robbed him. I wouldn’t know because Berta had rearranged Tim’s features by planting two bullets in his face before I got a good look at him. I wasn’t impressed with this freight yard. There was broken equipment parked around the perimeter and piles of manure everywhere. If it rained, I knew men would be slogging through it.

I introduced myself. “Hi, I’m the new owner of the freight company that Jack Abram owned.”

“Yeah, I heard you won it in a poker game. I also heard you gave it some cute name. Let me tell you something; this is a rough business. You won’t last a month. My men will run you off the trails given the chance. We’re tough and we play tough. If that don’t work, I’ll personally call you out. I don’t mess around. The reason Jack wanted to lose his business was because he knew he was going to get his someday.”

“Well, thanks for the warning. Nice to know what I’m in for. I hope you’re man enough to meet me face to face. You’ll probably pull your family in and back shoot me.”

“I only have one brother and I haven’t seen him for a couple of years. I don’t like you. I don’t need a brother to kill you; I’m up to it myself. If I come after you, you won’t live long.”

“Don’t hesitate on my account. I’ll meet you whenever you say. Just make sure it’s in a public place if and when you decide you want to take me on.”

“Brave bastard, ain’t you? How about three this afternoon on Main Street in front of the Mercantile? That’ll give you time to say your prayers. I might just take your new wife to bed while you’re still warm.”

“That might be a chore. Raping seems to run in your family and it doesn’t always turn out too well for the rapist. I’ll see you at three.” I turned my back on Frachette and went across the yard to my horse. I came here to be friendly but there was no use even talking to this bastard.

“Hey you, Boyd. What did you mean by that?” I kept right on walking. I swung up into the saddle, wheeled around and jogged down the street. I went to the yard.

“Berta, I have to talk to you. I went over to talk to Frachette. He threatened to ruin my business and before we were done talking, he told me he would meet me in the street at three. I didn’t back down so I’ve got it to do.” Jack and a couple of the teamsters were listening.

“Okay, Brady, I know you will come out of this all right. I’m glad you practiced pulling your gun all winter. Are you worried?”

“Not really. If anything should happen to me though, get Jack and the three men we came down out of the mountains with to help you. You’ll be okay.”

“Brady, I’ve put my faith in you for almost a year. Do what you have to do. I took care of one Frachette and you can take care of this one. You go sit down and relax. I’ll tell you when it’s time.” Berta, ignoring everyone kissed me. 

I went out to the stable and sat in a chair leaning it back against the door. I tipped my hat over my eyes and relaxed. I occasionally heard voices in the office. Some of them were raised, but I paid no attention.

“Brady, you’ve got fifteen minutes to get ready.”

“Thanks, Berta.”

“Brady, the marshal was here. He wanted to stop the fight. I told him you would be out in the street. If Frachette showed up then there would be a fight. If he didn’t show there wouldn’t be. Word is out that Frachette threatened to make me his woman if he killed you. That’s never going to happen. He’ll be dead one way or another. Brady, load the last chamber in your gun. I’ll kiss the bullet. Make it the one that kills the bastard.”

I looked at my wife. At one time, she had told not to be dramatic. “Hey Berta, who is being dramatic now?” She laughed up at me and walked with me out into the street. She left me standing there and headed up the street. This was where Frachette would appear. I watched her. God she was beautiful. Berta had on those whipcord pants and that fawn colored jacket. She was wearing that light colored linen shirt. What was she up to?

Just as Berta reached the end of the street, Frachette walked out from the side street. Berta was speaking to him. She was too far away for me to hear what she was saying. Suddenly she stepped away from him and joined the crowd lining the street. He started toward me.

I shook my gun hand, willing myself to stay calm. I walked to meet him. We would both be in front of the Mercantile just as agreed. I was surprised. Frachette appeared to be a little hesitant. When we got within 100 feet, he spoke, “Your wife claimed she killed my brother; that so?”

“She did. He was going to rape her. She got up close to him and when he put his hand out to grab her, she plugged him. I was there, but this was happening before I needed to do anything. I buried him the best I could. We traded his horse and his personal stuff to the Indians.”

“She’s a killer. She never gave him a chance.”

“She didn’t need to give him one. Your brother had just killed her brother. Shot him down like a dog. I’d have done the same.” I paused and then spoke again. “You going to talk all day?”

Frachette was done talking. He grabbed for his gun. He was slow. I wasn’t and I beat his draw handily. He was determined and I knew there was no stopping him. Just before his gun came level, I fired. I hit him and he went down. His gun flew from his hand when he hit the ground. Not dead yet but dying, he said, “Give my wife a little money until she gets settled someplace.” He shuddered and I thought he was gone. His eyes opened. “I wouldn’t have touched your wife. I just let my mouth get away from me. Sorry.”

The crowd had heard this exchange. Now I was bound to see to his wife. Maybe Berta would take care of it. The woman would most likely hate me and I had enough to deal with. One day at my new business and this had to happen. But then it inevitably would have happened at some point. Better to get it out of the way now.

Berta came running down the street and into my arms. “I had faith in you, Brady. I tried to stop it. I spoke to him and told him it was me who had killed his brother. All he said was that it didn’t matter. I think he was more interested in having all the freight business in town. Saying that about me was to rattle you. It comes down to you not getting rattled. He wasn’t good enough or fast enough, that’s all.”

Just then, the town marshal stepped beside me. “I saw the whole thing. He wouldn’t back down. There is nothing I can charge you with. Are you going to help his wife out?”

Berta hadn’t heard Frachette’s last words. “Why does he have to?”

“Berta, he apologized and said he wouldn’t have been after you if he had killed me. He asked me to give his wife a hand to get settled. Can you do that for me?”

She looked at me and then said, “No, he asked you to do it, but I’ll go with you. We had better do it now. Some of his teamsters have taken the body into the Mercantile where they will get him ready for burial. There is no funeral parlor and the Mercantile carries caskets.”

“I’ll saddle your mule and we’ll go get it done. His yard is across town. Marshal, tell me where I can find his wife?”

“It’s on same the street next to the yard. It’s the only place that has whitewash on it.”

“Thanks.”

There was a hitching post in front of the house. We had to make our way through seven rough looking men to the door. This was some of the Frachette freight crew. We were glared at, but no one spoke or interfered. Berta knocked on the door. It opened and a woman stood there. She was about the same size as Berta, maybe ten years older.

The woman looked past Berta at me and stated. “You’d be the man who killed my husband.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’m Brady Boyd and I’m here to tell you I’m sorry for you. Your husband as he lay dying asked that I give you a hand because he couldn’t. What can I do for you?”

“Come in, I’ll listen. This your wife?”

“Yes

“I’m Berta.”

“Name’s Sarah.” The house was small, neat, and clean. Sarah had used an iron on her hair recently and was pretty in a faded sort of way. “Use the settle to sit on. Don’t need much furniture with a house this small. Did Tay die well?”

“His name was Tay?”

“Tayson, but mostly he went by his last name.”

“Ma’am, your husband did die well. He didn’t quit and I had him beat. I had to shoot him.”

“Yes, well that was Frachette. He was stubborn and opinionated and wouldn’t learn. The freight yard was my father’s. When he died, I let Frachette take over. He ran it into the ground. Business has slowed and that was just because of the way he ran it. We never would have had enough business to make it through the winter. Frachette knew he was in a bind. He is out of it now. Maybe that was why he faced you.”

“I wouldn’t know. What is your situation here? Do you need help?”

“I’m assuming you are here to take over. I can’t stop you. To the victor go the spoils.”

I glanced at Berta. She had heard me say those same words last fall. “I take it you are in debt and you say there isn’t much coming in?”

“That’s true. Frachette talked about running you out of town and then businesses would have to come to us, but he came up short.”

“Do you know anything about the freight business? You said it came from your father.”

“I know all about it. When Frachette married me, I promised I wouldn’t interfere, but I could have done much better than he did. Too late now.”

“What are the teamsters you have like? Are they faithful to the company?”

“Some of them are. You walked through those who worked for my father to get to the door. About the same number are like Frachette was, more’s the pity. They may try to finish what he couldn’t. Why?”

“Just wondering what you are going to do now that your husband is gone.”

“Too soon to make any plans. He hasn’t been dead hardly two hours yet. You don’t seem too shook up about killing him.”

“Frachette made threats and said he was going after Berta when he killed me. I wasn’t going to let that happen. His gun was almost lined up on me when I fired. There must have been some good in the man. His last thoughts were of you.”

“Thanks for sharing that with me. My Frachette did respect women. Not like his brother Timothy. There was a really bad man around women. I hope he never shows up here. I was afraid of him the way he was always watching me when Frachette wasn’t around.”

Berta informed the widow, “You don’t have to worry about the brother. He tried to rape me. That was before I met Brady. I killed him after I saw him kill my brother and shot him when he came for me. That is why Brady accepted the challenge when your husband said what he did.”

“Sarah, do you have enough money to bury Frachette?”

“Yes, but that’s about all.”

“Will you let us lend you some money until you decide what you are going to do?”

“If you could lend me fifty dollars, I would appreciate it. I’ll find some work and pay you back.”

“Okay.” I handed over two gold pieces and ten silver dollars. This emptied my purse. “Mrs. Frachette, we both are sorry for you.” She said thank you while clutching her coins.

The men were still silent as we made our way to the animals and mounted up.  Berta spoke the same thoughts that were in my mind. “She is such a brave soul. She was in the same situation when her father died, as I was when my brother was killed. I made out better than she did. She had Frachette to lean on and I had you. I’m glad you offered her some money. We are going to give her more help than this aren’t we?”

“We could. I’ll give it some thought.”

We returned to our own yard. “Jack, do you know Sarah Frachette at all? We were just talking to her.”

“Yes, I know her.  She’s a very nice person. She took up with Frachette. No one could figure out why she did. He didn’t know how to operate the freight business, but it was known he treated her extremely well. He loved and respected her.

Berta commented, “True love knows no bounds.”

“I figured something like that when he was dying and asked me to look after her. Do you have any idea how we can make life easier for her?”

“Buy what’s left of her business. That would help her for awhile anyway.”

“Jack, Berta and I only have so much money. We can’t afford to take on more debt at the present time. We have to move this business out to the Newell place and put up buildings to house it. I may have to go to Cosgood for a loan even now.”

“I don’t know then.”

“I guess I’ll think of something. I was impressed with the way she has handled the death of her husband. Yes, and the way she doesn’t seem to blame me for killing him either. That speaks to her being a good person. Hey Jack, would you have someone harness the mule to our cart? I have to pick up the furniture to take home with me. Berta wants me to leave the cart out there.”

“Do you need help getting the furniture into your house?”

“No, Berta and I can handle it. What’s on for tomorrow? Anything I should know about?”

“No, just keep looking for new business. We aren’t very busy and if we don’t keep the men busy they won’t hang around. Berta needs to be in the office to do paperwork. If she goes traipsing off with you we’ll be as bad off as when I owned the business.”

“Okay. Berta, would you pick us up something for supper. I’ll meet you at home. You can ride my horse.”

I was at the Newell place, home now, by the time Berta got there. I had wrestled in what I bought and put the mule out on the picket line by the time she arrived. And I did have a good fire going in the stove for her to cook on.

We were settling in for the night. “Brady, you don’t seem too shook up about killing another person.”

“No I’m not. I feel bad for Sarah, though.”

“You shouldn’t. I had the feeling she knew it was going to happen someday. She had come to grips with it before it happened.” For some reason it didn’t seem right to make love tonight. We just held each other and the next thing we knew it was time to get up. Now we made love and put yesterday behind us.

I reached the freight yard first. “Jack, how much work do you think the Frachette outfit has? We may need it to survive ourselves.”

“They’ve got the beer and liquor deliveries for all the bars locked up. We have the Mercantile and the hardware store. They have two sawmills they deliver for.  We only have one. All in all, it isn’t enough so we can expand if that is what you are planning. You’ll want to do that when we get moved.” Jack half joking, grinned at me. “I got out of business at the right time wouldn’t you say?”

I ignored his humor; maybe because he could be right. “I think I’ll go talk to Sarah Frachette and see if I can make some kind of deal with her.” I waited around until Berta arrived and talked with her about Sarah Frachette. I put the mule up in the stable and headed over to the bank to see George Cosgood. We discussed what he thought the future would be for the town. That made up my mind about where I wanted to go with the freight business.

It was early, but I guessed Sarah would be up. I ground hitched my horse in the Frachette freight yard. There was a path leading to the rear of the house and I opened the gate and walked through. Sarah was standing in the open door arguing with two men. They seemed to be pressuring her to do something.

Sarah saw me and a pleased expression crossed her face. One of the men was big. He was speaking, “Look Sarah, you can’t run this business alone. I’ll take over and you can stay here in the house. Maybe after a period of time, you and I can come to some kind of agreement like you had with Frachette.”

“No, I’ll sell the business. It has to be worth something.”

The big man spoke and there was no respect in his words. “That’s not going to happen. I want the business and I want you. This property is worth money and the house is too. I’ve four men backing me so you have no say in the matter.”

“No, I’ll tell everyone what you are doing and they’ll run you off. People know what kind of a person you are and they’ll believe me.

“You’ll keep your mouth shut. Frachette treated you like a queen, but I won’t. Now you get back in the house and stay there until I decide how to handle this.”

I put my word in, “I know how you are going to handle this. You’re going to get on your horse and leave town. You’re going to take your followers with you.”

“Who are you? This is none of your business.”

“I’m making it my business. Mrs. Frachette, I’m here to see if I can help you. Say the word and I’ll round up some men and run this bunch out of town.”

“Trace, this is Brady Boyd and you heard the man. I want nothing to do with you. Frachette asked Brady to look after me and I trust him to do well by me. I’d git if I was you.”

“But he is the one who killed your husband.”

“I know that and I’m still putting my future in this man’s hands. I got word last night that Mrs. Boyd was the one who killed Timothy Frachette, his brother. I might just pick up a gun myself if you give me anymore trouble.”

“Okay Sarah, I was just trying to help.” Trace glared at me as he went by.

“Mr. Boyd, please come in. You must have something in mind for me.”

“Thank you, Ma’am, I do. First, I’d like to tell you what my financial situation is. I have some serious expenses coming up because I have to move to the outskirts in a little under four months. That’s going to cost me a lot. I would like to own your business, but I can’t put up much money for it. I talked to the banker a little bit ago. He doesn’t think there is enough business in town for two freight hauling concerns anyway, but it would be highly profitable for just one. Do you know Jack Abram?”

“I do. He worked for my father as a teamster. He got a lease from the livery for your yard after my father died. There was always bad blood between him and Frachette. They couldn’t stand each other. I guess most of it was Frachette’s fault. Sometimes my husband wasn’t nice to anyone except me. Why do you ask?”

“I thought maybe Jack, me, my wife, and you could have a meeting and discuss putting the two freight lines together.”

“You mean you don’t intend to cut me right out and leave me nothing? You could you know.”

“I can’t handle all the work because I don’t have enough wagons, teamsters or livestock. Cosgood at the bank and Jack told me you know more about the freight business in this area than anyone else. If we come together, I would expect you to do some of the work or at least until I get things smoothed out.”

“There would be some pay? I do know the freight business.”

“Of course. There would be a salary and hopefully some profit.”

“You do know our wagons are in poor shape and some of our draft animals aren’t the best. Frachette always did things on the cheap.”

“So I have been told. Can you meet us at the bank this afternoon? I’ll send a carriage for you.”

“Not necessary. I can ride astride. I used to, but Frachette wouldn’t allow it. It tickled me when I heard there was a new woman in town who wore pants and didn’t give a damn what others thought.”

“Okay, I’ll see you at the bank.”

“Brady, thanks for running Trace off. I knew he was going to be a problem for me.” I nodded that I was willing. I came out and went back through the gate to the freight yard. Just before I mounted my horse I watched Trace and his men mount up and go out onto the street at a dead run. They had blanket rolls on behind their saddles. I wondered if the horses they were riding were their own or had belonged to the company.

No matter, Sarah was well rid of them. There was a group of seven or eight men over by the wagon sheds. I hoped these men were loyal to Sarah. I’m sure she would tell me this afternoon.

I went into the little office when I got back to my outfit. “Berta, where is Jack?”

“He’s here somewhere. How did it go at the bank? Did you go see Sarah? What did she look like? Did she have a dress on? She is kind of pretty. I don’t know if we should bring her into the business.”

“Whoa Berta, that’s a lot of questions. It went well at the bank; she had a dress on and had her hair up in a bun. She is kind of pretty and older than you are. I go for younger women because they can give me more babies. Do you know any woman like that?”

“Kiss me.”

I was doing that when Jack came through the door. “Oh Jeezus, I’m sorry.”

Berta laughed. “Come back Jack. I haven’t seen my husband for two hours. What did you expect? Brady was going to tell me what his morning was like.”

Jack came back to stand at the door. “Sarah said at one time you worked for her father?”

“I did, but then he died. Frachette bulled his way into taking over and Sarah let him. I got out and started up this yard on my own. I could work with her, but not with him.”

“You may get a chance to work with her again. She, me, you, and Berta are having a meeting at the bank this afternoon. I’m thinking of having her as a junior partner.”

“What about Frachette’s crew? They won’t like that.”

“I saw some of them this morning and told them to get out of town. They were harassing Sarah and I stepped in. She tells me that her father was the first freight hauler here in the area before it was settled at all.”

“That’s right. Sarah was a grown woman when she came here with her father. She was a little bit too independent when I went to work for her Pa. A bit of tomboy, but damned able. She could even handle a six hitch team. She has been known to out swear some of the other teamsters, if it was called for. It some surprised us when she let Frachette take over.

“She does know the business then?”

“Better than all of us.”

“Good. Has anyone said when Frachettes’s funeral is to be held?”

Berta spoke up, “He’s in the ice house now and tomorrow morning at nine there is to be graveside service. No funeral. The marshal came by and told me. Brady, he doesn’t want you there. He figures some of the Frachette crew will cause trouble if you are.”

“I wasn’t going to go. I think you and Jack should go though. I will be around somewhere. I want to be sure Trace has left or if still here, that he doesn’t try to intimidate Sarah like he was doing this morning. The marshal probably doesn’t know about that. You can mention it to him when we meet this afternoon.”

“Okay. Brady, tell me what you are looking for from Sarah? I hope it isn’t anything personal.”

“No, nothing like that. Sarah has more assets than she is aware of. If I help her, I figure it will be to our advantage. We’ve got that land and it is a lot better than either the lot here or what she has. Besides, I think we can make it into a stopping place for the wagon trains that are coming through on their way to California. If we can have replacement parts and livestock to sell we won’t have to do as much hauling. Sarah has all kinds of broken wagons piled up in the corner of her lot. I’m thinking maybe we can fix up a lot of what’s there and sell what we don’t use ourselves.”

“Why all the work?”

“Because if we get a family started, we will need more income than just the freight business we have now. If we can get all the work under one umbrella, we can do it. We need to expand now when we are small and Sarah is off balance to put this together. Admitted I am ambitious, but I feel we will never have a chance like this again.”

Jack asked, “So you are planning on taking advantage of her. I don’t know as I like that very much.”

“The only advantage I have taken was to take Frachette from her. From what she says, he was about at the bottom and would have soon lost everything. The freight business needs to be tied up now. Putting the two yards together will do it. I’ve promised her a salary and part of the profits already. This meeting today is to decide what the assets are and how to make the division between us equitable.” 

“She doesn’t hold the killing against you?”

“I don’t know if she does or not. I haven’t seen tears and I did her a favor this morning. I intend to be fair. I took something from her and I want to give something back. That man Trace certainly was just going to take.

“That’s good. I’ve always liked her. And why do you want me there at the meeting?”

“You’re my manager, you know the freight, and know more than a little about Sarah’s freight business. If you say something is fair, I’ll have to believe you because I don’t know that much about it,”

“Thank’s, Brady, I’ll do my best for you.”

“Fine. Berta, let’s go over to the boarding house for dinner?”

“Sure, let me finish up this billing. I’m writing a notice to all our clients, telling them it is cash on delivery from now on. We can carry some of the larger firms we do business with for a few days, but a single load of freight has to be paid when we deliver.”

“You like what you are doing?”

“I do. At least it’s better than cleaning houses for a living. I’m certainly a lot cleaner than when we were trapping and I’m hoping some day it will pay as well.”

“I think it will.” 

On the way to dinner I said, “Berta, you may think I’m helping out Sarah a lot, but I feel bad I turned her life upside down. I am responsible. There were two men harassing her when I arrived this morning. I told them to leave her alone and suggested they get out of town, but I’m afraid they won’t. The man named Trace wants her bad. I’m going to suggest that she get a room at the boarding house for the time being.”

“That’s a great idea, Brady. Maybe you should warn what men she has left to be on the lookout in case they set the yard or her house on fire.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. We could have Tom, Pete and Harry help stand guard until we get the place emptied out.”

“You sound as if you already owned her business?”

“I don’t, but I may after the meeting at the bank this afternoon. I’m just thinking of what the worst thing that can happen and I guess you are too.” We ate dinner.  Sheila came by to speak to Berta.

I asked her if she had a room free to put up a woman. “I still have Berta’s room open. Why?”

“I may have a boarder for you for the night. We are meeting with Sarah Frachette this afternoon. Some of the men who worked for her husband are upset that she didn’t let them take over the business. I fear for her wellbeing.”

“That’s strange. You kill her husband and then you take care of her.”

“Not strange when her husband with his last words asked me to. I’m just fulfilling his dying wish.”

“Oh. Berta, how do you like Brady doing this for another woman?”

“I’m fine with it. I would think less of Brady if he didn’t. You will rent her a room if she needs it won’t you?”

“As long as you ask it of me I will. I wouldn’t have rented a room to her husband. He had a bad reputation.”

“He did, but I honestly believe he loved Sarah and that is another reason why I am helping her.”

“That’s nice to know.” 

We had dinner and then went back to our freight yard. I watched the blacksmith build a fire in a ring to heat up a wagon wheel tire. It was too big to put in a forge. Heat expanded the circumference. He and his helper slid it over the wheel and positioned it. They immediately immersed the wheel in a tub of water. This shrunk the tire and made it tight on the wheel, holding all the wooden segments together. 

There were two smaller iron rings the same for the hub, one inside and one on the outside. There was a metal bushing through the hub for the axel to go through. If kept greased the wheel should last for a long time. I had been so interested watching this I forgot my meeting. Berta shouted to me that it was time to head for the bank. “Brady, do you know in your mind how you want this to turn out?”

“I think so, but we’ll wait and see what Sarah wants. I’m not offering the world to her.” 

Jack, who was with us, wanted to know if I was going to give Sarah money enough to live on. “Yes, of course I am.”

“Well alright then.” Jack stopped a minute to speak to someone he knew.

“Brady, I think Jack is sweet on Sarah. He is looking out for her interests. I have heard him ask you a few times if you were going to treat her right.”

“I know. I think he is sweet on her too and that is something I have taken into account. You know Jack has worked terribly hard in transferring the company over to me. I think he misses owning it. Would you give up 25% of the business if all of the Frachette’s assets were included?”

“How is that going to happen?”

“If I ask Sarah and Jack to be co-managers if she will include everything and give them an undivided share, do you think they would do it? I mean they are the ones with the freighting expertise. You and I will get onto how to handle freight, but it is better to have it all together to start.”

“Try it and see. That would mean Jack and Sarah will have to work closely together, right?” She poked me. “Brady, you’re a regular cupid.”

“No, this is something that Cosgood suggested. He seems to have an ulterior motive. I just don’t know what it is yet.”

“We’ll know shortly. That must be Sarah’s horse at the hitching rail.”

Sarah was in the manager’s office sitting in the corner. We were greeted by the manager and told to sit. Berta nodded to Sarah and Sarah was the one to speak, “Mrs. Boyd, Brady. Hi Jack, it is good to see you again. I’ll be able to acknowledge you now that I have a little more freedom than I have had the last few years.”

“Sarah, it is so good to see you too. I’ve been very circumspect when we met. It isn’t because I didn’t want to stop and pass the time of day with you.”

“I know that and I thank you for it. It would have caused trouble if you had.”

The banker interrupted, “Okay, we are here to talk about the movement of freight in the area. Two weeks ago, there were two companies that moved goods. One immediately changed hands during a game of cards. A week later, the owner of the other was killed in a shootout. No need to go into details. The first outfit was won by a man who literally knows little about the business. The original owner works as manager for the new owner.

“It is a different situation with the other freight concern. A widow now owns it, and although she knows the business, the firm is near bankruptcy. This bank is owed money and under the present circumstances, it doesn’t look like it will ever recover its money. Does anyone want to make any comments?”

He waited for a minute. “No? Well, Brady thinks that if all the assets from both businesses are put under one roof the new expanded business would do very well. I agree. If everyone agrees with me all we have to decide is what the assets are and whether shares should be assigned based on those assets. Keep in mind that not all the assets are of the hard kind.”

Sarah spoke up, “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean there are strengths among you such as knowing the business, the patrons you would be doing business with and of course the good will of the past before things happened going back two weeks.”

“You can’t say Frachette created any good will. He was barely tolerated by most and hated by the rest.”

“True Sarah, but you do own some of the hard assets such as the rolling stock and the livestock.”

“I’ve got my house too. That doesn’t have a lien on it.”

“I’m sorry, but you are mistaken in that. The bank has a lien against your house. Much more than it is worth by the way. Crazy as it seems, the freight yard property is free and clear. Your father saw to that before he died. I couldn’t give Frachette money on it and he settled on mortgaging your home.”

“How can that be?”

“A year before your father died, he put the yard into a trust and it can’t be broken without your signature.”

“Frachette never came to me about putting a mortgage on either.”

“He tried to get one on both. There was nothing preventing me from putting it on your home so I did.”

“Oh dear, what am I going to do if you foreclose?”

“Sarah, Brady told Frachette he would see to you. I wouldn’t be too concerned. Now let’s get down to details. I’m kind of like being the moderator here. I liked your father and that extends to you. Jack has banked with me since he started up. I pretty much know what Brady has for assets in his business. Can you give me a list of what you have or someone who can?”

“I haven’t been over to the yard that much. It was so depressing to me. It was so dirty and has so much broken equipment everywhere. Frachette is gone. Brady ran Trace off and that is one thing I’m glad of. Brady, can you have Jack come over and look around?”

“Sure Sarah, he can do that.” I asked, “Would you put the freight yard into the pot along with the rolling stock and animals?”

“I don’t know if I can.”

Cosgood spoke, “Sure you can, but then I would be able to go after the value of it to satisfy the original lien.”

“What if I brought Sarah into my business? Would you assign the debt to her personally?”

“If it was reduced, I might. Some of it would have to be paid down to show good faith.”

“George. Can you give me a few minutes alone with Sarah to discuss this?”

“Sure, I’ll step out. Coffee for the rest of you?”

“I’ll want Jack and Berta here. They are all involved. Coffee later.”

 When he left, Sarah asked, “What’s on your mind, Brady?”

“Well, it is this way. Berta and I don’t know too much about the freight business. Right now the Royal Flush is the only viable business in the area hauling freight. Your outfit is leaderless and Berta and I don’t know that much about how to run it. I’m thinking if you would give up what assets you have and take a share of our company we could forge ahead and make it very profitable for all of us.”

“Are there any guarantees and how big of a share are we talking about?”

“I’m thinking 15% if it is just you alone. But there is Jack to consider too. If you would take him on and own the shares together, I would increase the shares to 25%. I’m paying Jack $800 a year and I would pay you something depending on how valuable you turn out to be.”

“And what do you have for assets?”

“Berta and I own the Royal Straight Flush Freight line outright with all of its equipment. We also own 40 acres where it will be soon located. We figure 20 acres of that will be big enough for the freight yard with room for expansion. We have $2,000 in an account for working capital. Our only liabilities are in putting up new buildings to house the stock and equipment.”

“You’ll never need that much land. There are only two and a quarter acres that comprises the yard that my father built. My house sits on another quarter acre, but I expect that is going to the bank.”

“That may be, and when all of your wagons are in the yard, you don’t have room to come in and swing around without backing up a couple of times.”

“True. So why do you say my share is 10% and Sarah’s 15%, only if we own them together. That sounds crazy.”

“May be, but it is you two who have the experience. Berta and I have the cash to make it work”

Berta interrupted me, “Brady, can I speak to you alone? I need to tell you something.”

“Okay, sure. Jack and Sarah would you go have the coffee George offered.  We’ll be out for one too before we resume.”

“What is it?”

“Brady, you aren’t giving them much. I think you should absorb the lien. Then you can ask for all of Sarah’s property, meaning her home and freight yard. That still won’t give her any cash to live on. We are going to be partners with them. Now isn’t the time to be cheap or it will cost us their good will later if problems arise?”

“Berta, we don’t have any money to pay the lien. I don’t want to dig into our working capital.”

Berta sat there and didn’t say anything. She did look like she wanted to though. “Talk to me, Berta.”

“Brady would you be mad if I told you I had some insurance money? Money my brother and I worked and saved to use when we reached Oregon?”

“You have?”

“Yes. Say you aren’t mad at me for holding out on you?”

“Oh, I’m not. How much is it and where is it?”

“I don’t know for sure how much money, but it is considerable. It is hidden in a hollowed out timber directly behind the axel of the cart.”

“Wow this changes everything. I still want Jack and Sarah to have the 25% between the two.”

“I’ll go along with that. Let me propose it after we have our coffee.”

“Okay. Let’s grab a coffee and then it’s your baby.”

It wasn’t long before we were back in the office. “Berta has thought of a way to settle this and make it fair for Sarah. George, how much is the lien on Sarah’s house?” He quoted a figure. I looked at Berta and she nodded that she had that much hidden money. “I’ll let her explain it all now.”

“Sarah, I didn’t want you to have to pay off the remainder of a loan after you lost your house. I didn’t want Mr. Cosgood and the bank to get control of your freight yard. My question to you is; would you be willing to put its worth into the Royal Straight Flush freight company if you were free and clear? Your share is still 15% of the company. If you do work for the company, even if it is little more than advice, you will get paid.” 

“But where will I live?”

I spoke to this. “I have that answer. The bank wants the property, but not the house. I can move the house out to the Newell property just as it is. Berta and I are going to be living there. All of the teamsters will be there and I imagine Jack will be living there too. The teamsters who were faithful to you and your father will be hired. You will be working with them, so that won’t change.”

“That sounds good. What are you going to do with the freight yard if I turn it over to you?”

“I’m going to sell it and put the money into the company. The remaining lien will be about 25% of the selling price. To give you some cash money, I’ll give 25% of what the property sells for. That still leaves 50% and that is your 15% investment in the Royal Flush Freight line.”

Sarah turned to Jack, “What do you think, Jack?  Is it fair?”

“I think it is extremely fair. When we get this settled, I would like to talk to you about my coming in with you and owning some of the freight line again. I’m earning good pay, but I’m looking to the future. That 10% share looks good to me. I have never looked ahead to the future, but I see this as a chance to have more than I have ever had up until now.”

Sarah spoke quickly, “Let’s settle that right now. One change though, I want to make it an undivided 25%.

“Fine Sarah, that’s the way it is then. George, could you have the deed to the former Frachette freight yard available? We’ll give you the money for the remainder of the lien that Frachette took out.”

“You know I could hold off on the foreclosure for a few weeks. Sarah, you can live there rent free.”

I spoke up, “I don’t think it is safe for her to live there alone. I’ll be moving everything out of the freight yard including the buildings on it. I’ll tear them down starting tomorrow and move the lumber out to the Newell place. I fear for Sarah because of the Trace person. If I knew he had left town I wouldn’t worry so much.”

“Where can I live?”

“You will be living at the boarding house for now. I’ve already reserved your room. Jack and Berta will be at the yard during the day. We’ll get your house moved out by next weekend. Nights we’ll be there and days there will be workers from the two freight yards doing construction.”

“Well, how am I going to be earning my share of the combined freight business?”

“You want to begin right off?”

“Yes, of course. Frachette wouldn’t let me do but very little. It will be a treat to get out and accomplish something.”

“Great. I’ll tell you what you can do to help tomorrow morning after the funeral.”

“Oh, my Lord, that slipped my mind. There isn’t going to be a funeral anyway, just a committal service. Brady, I didn’t think you should be there, but the way things are now, you can be if you wish.”

“No, I won’t be there, but I won’t be very far away. I’m going to have some of my teamsters at your home tonight. I have a bad feeling about Trace.”

“I really appreciate that.”

“Brady, are we all done here?”

“I believe so, George. Thanks for your help.”

“Hey, don’t thank me. I should be the one thanking you. The bank has a bad loan redeemed and the rest of the money owed will be paid off shortly. I’ll have the paperwork for Sarah soon and we can wind the whole thing up. Sarah, Jack, Berta and you Brady, have a pleasant evening.”

We went out to the street. “Jack, would you lead Sarah’s horse to the yard? Sarah, you might as well see our operation. Berta and I will ride home with you. I’m going to have three of my men stand guard over your house tonight. Would you ask any of the teamsters you trust to watch both properties?”

We rode directly into the Frachette yard and Sarah informed the men that the business had been sold to the Royal Freight concern and that I was the new owner. Most had seen me the day that I had killed their boss and looked on me with suspicion.

Harry, Pete and Tom arrived and I introduced them. “Men, here is the situation. Sarah has been threatened by Trace and his men. I ran him off, but I suspect he may want to retaliate. I’m taking Sarah out of here and she will be at the rooming house near the bank across from my freight yard. These men of mine are here to protect both the property and you men. You will all have a job working for me if you do this.”

“I’m in if Miss Sarah says I should and it is what we should do.”

“It is, men. Brady is relocating the business out onto the Newell property west of town. He will be moving my house because the bank has foreclosed on it. The bank doesn’t want the house so it is mine. I need a place to live and I’m comfortable in it. The buildings here in the yard will come down and the boards and timbers will go to construct new ones at that location. One of the buildings will be a bunkhouse. It will be quite sizable because it will have to house both the men from this business and Brady’s.”

I asked, “Men, do all of you have firearms? If you do get them out and cleaned. If you don’t, I’ll get some at the hardware store for you. I don’t know there will be trouble, but I want to be prepared. Sarah hasn’t said, but she owns a share in the combined freight lines so you will still be working for her. Who’s in charge here?”

“I am. Name’s Tex.” 

“Okay, get with Harry. He’s an Indian fighter and knows what it is to be under attack. My only order is to do everything to keep the livestock and your selves safe. Try to keep the buildings from being leveled with fire. Sarah is picking up a few things that she’ll need for a few days. I’ll be around tomorrow to get her house ready to be moved. If any wagons are out on the trail and come in, have them stay here until I get a handle on what needs to be done.”

“Are you sure Miss Sarah will be safe?”

“As sure as I can be. Okay Sarah, get your things and we’ll get you settled at the rooming house. Berta will help. Harry, you see what you can do for a plan in case there is an attack here. I’m going to look around and see just what I have bought.”

A half hour later, we were ready to leave. I had a chance to talk with the men. They all appeared to welcome me and seemed willing to transfer their allegiance to the Royal Straight Flush Freight lines. We dropped Sarah at the door to the rooming house. I gathered Berta’s mule and Sarah’s horse and stabled them at the yard.

I had a few minutes alone with Berta. “Brady, we haven’t talked about me having some money. I want to go home and we can talk about it then. You are probably wondering why I have kept it from you for so long.”

“A little bit, but it sure has come in handy.”

“Yes, it did. Don’t be long before you come get me.” 

I went to the yard and explained my worries to my crew about Trace and his men.  I wanted them on alert for a few days. When done there, I saddled up and went over to the rooming house. It was mealtime so Berta and I ate, before leaving for home. “Home,” that had a nice sound to it.

It had been a busy day and we were tired. No chance to relax yet. I wanted to look at the cart where Berta said there was some money hidden. Berta had told me that the cross member was bolted to the bottom of the cart. I brought three different wrenches home with me, hoping they would fit the nuts. One was the correct size, but it had rusted and when I tried to loosen it the bolt turned along with the nut. This was a carriage bolt and it evidently had rotted the wood around the head. Frustrated, I got the axe and split the hollowed out timber scattering coins all over.

I got a pail out of the cabin and Berta picked up the coins. “Okay tell me about the money?”

“The money was to buy a farm when Felix and I reached Oregon. It was our savings and we worked an extra year to get what my uncle said was needed to buy land.”

“Why didn’t you trust me enough to tell me about it?”

“I was going to when we first reached town. But then right off you wanted to go play cards. I was afraid it might be a habit of yours. When you won the freight line, I knew this was as good as owning a farm. I just waited until we needed it, that’s all.”

“Are there any other little secrets you are keeping from me?”

“Nope, you know it all. Brady, can you hide the money again until we can give it to Cosgood?”

“Good idea, Where is your little shovel?”

“It’s leaning against the back of the cabin.” We dug a hole and lowered the pail into it, scattering some horse droppings over it. It was an hour before dark. “Where do you think we should put Sarah’s house? I think that level spot halfway between where the barns are going and our cabin.”

“Perfect. Now let’s go in and go to bed. I’m exhausted.”

“Me too.”

Chapter Four

I came awake. It must be after midnight because the moon was on the wane. I whispered, “Berta, the horse just whinnied and was answered by another. I’m going out and look around.”

“Be careful. You don’t think it is that Trace person, do you?”

“I wouldn’t think so, but maybe he is smarter than I gave him credit for. Pull the latch string in after I close the door.” I eased the door open and on my stomach. I crawled out, pushing the door closed behind me. I listened, hearing nothing.

“Brady, Brady, wake up.” The voice came from over by the blocked up window. I recognized Pete’s voice. 

“Right behind you, Pete. What’s up?”

“Brady, those bastards hit both yards. The swamper at our yard was hit, but he will survive. We killed one of them and we think we wounded another. There were only two of them. They tried to fire the place.”

“What happened at Frachette’s?”

“It was attacked by four men. One got away and the rest are dead. Again. they tried to fire the place. Tom was in Sarah’s house. The man broke the door down and Tom plugged him dead center.”

“Is the marshal around?”

“Yeah. He made the comment that if you and your men keep on killing there won’t be anyone left in town. He said it as a joke.” 

“Maybe I should go in and talk to him.”

“Naw, it’ll keep. Stay with Berta.”

“Was any of the dead men Trace?”

“I don’t believe so. That’s why you had better stay here.”

“I will.”

I guess I had lived in town too long. It had been three weeks since we had come off the trail and there were people everywhere around us. The Indians were famous for shooting at a cabin when the door was opened first thing in the morning. I should have heeded that thought. I never gave it a thought that someone would imitate the Indians. I opened the door to step out, but thought of something to say to Berta.

I turned back and a bullet struck the door. It hit about two inches from my hand on the edge. It ripped a strip off the door edge and drove a splinter into my hand. I stared at it and just pulled it out. Blood welled up, but it didn’t do any damage. I dropped to the floor and three more bullets came through. I looked at Berta lying on the floor beside me. “That would be Trace.”

Berta was white as a sheet. “Brady, what are we going to do? He has us blocked in.”

“Stay calm, I’ll think of something. Keep lying on the floor where you are.”

“Hey Boyd, come out with your hands up and I’ll let your woman live. You faced Frachette and won, Come out and try it with me.”

“No thanks. Frachette was a man. You’re just river scum.”

“Bastard.” He had reloaded and four more bullets went through the door.”

“Shoot him, Brady. He’s out of bullets.”

“No he’s not, he’s holding one or two back making us think he is. Let’s see what we can do so I can get a shot at him. Hand me the broom, a towel, my coat and my hat, but stay down.”

“What are you going to do?”

“When we get set, I’m going to swing the door wide open and have you wave the hat and coat in the opening. Hopefully he will shoot at that and I can get a shot at him from down here.”

It took us a few minutes to get this set up. “Berta, do you have your pistol?”

“Never without it.”

“Well, keep it at hand. Okay, I’m going to push the door open. Just ease the hat into the opening as if you were peeking around the door jam. Make damned sure you stay down. If that doesn’t draw fire, let the jacket edge out after a minute so he’ll think I’m coming out shooting.”

“Okay. Open the door.”

I pushed hard and the door swung way open and bounced back almost closing again. “Guess I didn’t need to push so hard.” Berta grinned at me. I was amazed, now she was cooler than I was, or at least appeared to be.

We did this again. I just pushed the door open slowly keeping hidden. Before it was all the way open Berta showed the hat and then pulled it back. No gun fire. I was on the floor and used my rifle to finish opening the door. Again, Berta showed the hat. The towel around the broom straw had to look like a man’s head. She pulled it back quickly. The door was now wide open.

“Try a little of the coat this time along with the hat.” Two bullets came our way.  One hit the door jam and another came through the side of the building about where a man would be standing.

I had a good view of Trace and sent a bullet winging into his body. He had been behind the cart, but had come out into the open. He went down and other than kicking some he lay sprawled on the ground.

“Is he dead?”

“I think so. We’ll wait a bit and be careful. When we go out you go to the left and keep the cart between you and him. Just don’t go so far to get in line between me and him. I’ll go right, and if he moves I’ll plug him again. He has to get his rifle into position and he can’t very well from where he is laying.”

Finally I said, “Let’s go. Berta dodged to the left and kept a good distance from the cart until she was even with it then drew closer. I was afraid for a minute she was going to walk right up to Trace, but stopped a dozen feet from him. When she was in position, I stepped out. She had gone quietly, but I made plenty of noise and kept my rifle trained on him. Suddenly he was struggling to his feet. Berta never gave him a chance. With her Baby Paterson, she put three .28 bullets into his back and calmly walked up and put one more into his head.

“There, you won’t be ambushing anybody else.” Berta was shaking just a little, but wasn’t that upset about just killing a man. “Brady, you have a bullet hole in your coat. I’ll sew it up after breakfast. Leave that piece of shit right there.”  Hey, I wasn’t going to argue when she still had one unfired chamber.

She came down from the excitement and what she had done, and it hit her by the time we reached the cabin. “Brady, I guess you had better make us breakfast, I’d probably break your eggs.” I took her in my arms and held her. “I was so scared and he made me so mad. I want you to be careful when you open the door in the morning from now on.”

“Okay Berta, I will.”

We ate and were slow about heading into town. When we finally did saddle up to get going, we met Jack and Tom a hundred yards down the trail. Berta went on ahead while I stopped to tell them about what had happened. Then I remembered we had forgotten something. “Jack, I’ll go back with you.”

“To the yard? Are you going to leave the body out there?”

“No, back to the cabin. I have to dig up a pail of gold to take into the bank. You two can ride double and put the dead man on one of your horses.”

“You said a pail of gold? Where did that come from?”

“It was Berta and her brother’s. She told me about it yesterday. I tell you she is some woman. She did in her brother’s killer and did in the one who almost killed me.”

“You didn’t say she was the one who killed Trace.”

“Oh, I guess I did forget to mention that.”

I didn’t see Berta when I got into town.  I took the pail of coins into the bank. George Cosgood had a clerk count it and record it into a ledger. Some of it would be going into our account at the bank when we satisfied the lien on Sarah’s house. I came out of the bank and she and Sarah came walking down the street. “Brady, we walked to the cemetery. I was a little late, but I did hear the closing prayer.”

“Are you okay Sarah?”

“Yes. I’m relieved that Frachette is in the ground. He loved me and I tried to think I loved him, but I didn’t really. I chaffed all the while we lived together even though he treated me like a queen up on a pedestal.”

Berta spoke. “Brady, tell Sarah about this morning. I haven’t had a chance to. Oh, I saw you coming from the bank. Why?”

“The gold, Berta, remember? We forgot it in all the excitement. I went back, dug it up, and put it in the bank. Cosgood will have the deed for the freight yard tomorrow. Sarah has to get some paperwork done on her house.”

“Damn it, you guys. You’re talking in code. What happened this morning and what gold are you talking about and where did it come from?”

Berta explained about the gold. Sarah wasn’t satisfied. “Something happened this morning, what was it?”

“You don’t have to worry about Trace any longer. He tried to ambush us. We survived, he didn’t. Jack is bringing the body in now.” Sarah noticed I had a tear in my coat.

“Is that a new bullet hole?”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t wearing it at the time. I was lucky though, he shot at the cabin when I opened the door to go out. I turned to say something to Berta and he missed me. It was close and it drove a splinter into my hand. It got right busy while he was plugging bullets at the door.

“Then we worked it so I could get a shot at him. Berta was holding my coat up on a broom. That’s when I got a hole in it. I managed to hit him while he was shooting at what he thought was me.”

“Killed him, did you?”

“I thought I did, but he wasn’t dead. Berta went out and came in behind him and killed him when he rose up to shoot at me.”

“Berta, you were the one to kill him?”

“Yes, or he would have got another shot at Brady.”

“No wonder you were late coming to the cemetery. Do you feel okay?”

“I was shook up some, that’s all. You don’t need to tell anyone I was the one to kill him. Tom and Jack won’t tell anyone. Brady, I’m headed to the office now. Sarah, won’t you come with me?”

“Sure. You have to find something for me to do, remember?”

“No Sarah, don’t go with Berta, I want you with me. We’ll get something to write on.  I want you to inventory everything in your yard. You can start with the junk wagons. I’m planning on salvaging a lot of it. While you are doing that, I’ll see about getting your house up on wheels. Jack is going to go over your books to see how messed up your records are.”

“You two don’t slow down at all do you? Berta kills a person and goes right back to work.”

“We have to before we run out of money. Sarah, when Brady goes out looking for business you can go with him. Everyone knows who you are. That’ll ease us into who we are.”

“Okay, but won’t that bother you, my being with him?”

“Nope. I love him and he loves me.”

“I wouldn’t know much about that kind of love.”

“You will. Take a good look at Jack; you’ll be working with him. This is Brady’s idea. Jack lost his freight business to Brady, and Brady feels sorry for him. He figures a woman is what will make him happy again.”

“Berta, I never said anything like that.”

“No, but that is what you were thinking.”

“Jesus, no privacy at all. Now you have got into my head.”

“You love it.”

————————————————

It took us two days to get Sarah’s house up on wheels. We built a lower front bunk and drove a pin down through the top cross timber into the hole in the bottom bunk. This was so the front wheels would turn. The house wasn’t as heavy as one of the freight wagons when loaded, but it was much wider and longer. We reached the one tight corner going out onto the street that would take us to the Newell property. That was on the first day and we had to leave it for the night. There was some cussing and swearing because no traffic could get by it.

Sarah was upset. “Brady, what are you going to do? The back end won’t go by the house on the left side.”

“Sarah, don’t bother your mind. Hell, you can even sleep in it if you want to. You know if you are homesick or something.”

“I hope you are joking. I’m not going to. I’m not sleeping in the middle of the street.”

Just then, the marshal came charging up. “You had better have that off the street by nine tomorrow morning. You’re tying up the whole town.”

“I’ll try, marshal. Can I take you to supper at the rooming house?”

“No, that would be a bribe. He stalked up the street and said over his shoulder. “I’ll have you in jail if you don’t move it when I said to.” Then he came back and said. “I better have one of you in my office tomorrow after you get that damned house off the street. I want to know about you killing Trace Bedlow.” This worried Berta. I wasn’t concerned because if the marshal thought something wasn’t right with the killing he would have been around sooner asking questions.

I talked to Jack and sent him back to where the house had started from. I wanted him to make arrangements about the house with the crew there. I stabled the draft mules that had been hitched to the house at my yard which was close by. Sarah and Berta were following on my heels. “Come on, ladies let’s eat. Berta, why don’t you take Sarah home with you? I’m bunking at the freight yard tonight so I can get an early start in the morning.

I lay down after talking to my teamsters. At eleven P.M. I got up and my men were ready to go with me. We carried some planks, a pail of grease and a heavy pole. One of the teamsters was harnessing the mules I was using for this job.

When we reached the stopped house, Sarah’s men put some screw jacks under the rear axle. The wheels had come off a bigger wagon than the one we had taken the front ones from. Raising it high enough to place the planks under the rear wheels and after greasing them, we let the wheels back down. We only had about three feet to go sideways to clear the house on the corner. We were ready now to push the house sideways. 

There were seventeen men including me to push on the house. Everyone leaned into it and gave a mighty shove. Instead of the three feet we needed to move to get the house into the street, it traveled seven. It was now in the middle of the street and lined up heading straight out of town. Harry brought up the team and we hooked on.

Sarah’s men picked up the planks, putting them and the grease into a ranch wagon. We hadn’t needed the pole. My crew walked ahead of the mules with saws and axes because after we got outside the town, the house was wider than the trail. We had lanterns to light our way after the moon disappeared. The six mules had no trouble moving the load. We had to stop several times to fell some small trees and chop brush out of the way. All the men thought this was a lark and we went forward without problems.

The light was showing from the east when we turned into the Newell place. We parked the house next to where I had decided was the best place for it. Sarah needed a cellar and that would be dug and a foundation built. The house would be slid onto foundation the same way we had moved the house around the corner. We would need more greased planks for that move, but we knew it would work. 

We had the team unhooked before Sarah and Berta realized what we had been up to all night. They had come down to watch when we turned in here. The house still had wheels under it, but Sarah climbed in to look around to see if anything was broken. The damage was minor. Three glasses had fallen out of a cupboard and one window was broken where a tree limb had snapped and hit it when we had to cut a tree. 

The ranch wagon that had come along with the crew, carrying equipment, was still needed. Now the men who walked out cutting trees climbed into the wagon for the ride back to town. I knew we hadn’t made much noise getting out of town because there were few onlookers when we moved the house. I hoped the marshal would be satisfied.

Sarah helped Berta put a breakfast together. I lay on the bed because there wasn’t room to sit anywhere else while they were moving around. They had to wake me to eat. I had given the crews the day off after they had taken care of the teams. Sarah ate and then went down to her house, leaving Berta and me alone.

“Brady, you surprised us. We heard wagons moving, but thought it was people getting an early start on the trail. Finally, we heard some men talking. It was you giving directions when you turned in here. Did you have any trouble?”

“Not at all.” 

“Brady, I have a question. When is our world going to slow down? I almost wish we were back in the cave, trapping. We at least knew what we were going to do the next day. Now we have no idea.”

“You’re right, but it will settle down soon. We are putting together something that will serve us for the rest of our lives. Soon you can concentrate on taking care of just me and the babies.”

“I’m not pregnant yet that I know of. It hasn’t been time enough since we were married. Another week should tell me. I hope I am.”

“Me too. Let’s see, I have to go in and talk to the marshal today. What should I tell him about the killing of Trace?”

Berta paused, thinking. “Brady, better yet, why don’t I be the one to talk to him? I can tell it like it was.” She grinned, “I was there, remember? I was the one who shot him when he was firing at you. I was just protecting my husband.”

“Umm, Berta, I didn’t see it quite like that. I had time enough to shoot him while he was struggling to get into position.”

“But what would have happened if you had missed?”

“When have I ever missed what I was shooting at?”

“I don’t know if you ever have, but there is always the first time. I wasn’t taking any chances.”

“Okay, you can talk to the marshal. Tell him anything you want to. Just let me know what so that I can swear to it if I have too. Are you really going to tell him you were the one to finish him off?”

“Not unless he asks me specifically. Brady, you are getting a reputation of being quick on the shoot. First thing you know, there will be someone trying you out to see how good you are. That’s the road to having to defend yourself all the time. I don’t want that for you. You’ll live longer if you don’t have to.”

“Okay, do what you have to do. I’m going to catch a couple of hours sleep and then I’ll be into town.” I slept hard and fast, coming awake at noon. I cleaned up and headed for the freight yard. One of the teamsters told me Berta had been in, but had left. They said Jack was over to the other yard and if I came in, I was to meet him over there.

I piled onto my horse and cantered over. I saw Jack standing down at the end of the wagon sheds. “Brady, I’m going through these old sheds. I’m finding lot of stuff we can use to repair many of these broken wagons. Some of it is better than what I’m used to using. It must have been stored here since before Sarah’s father passed away. 

“You know I envied Frachette, but he was a damned poor manager. No wonder he was about on the rocks. There are a couple more buildings I haven’t opened up and looked in yet. You take one and I’ll take the other.”

One was nailed shut and the other had a hasp with a wooden peg holding the door closed. The peg was attached to a string so it wouldn’t fall on the ground and get lost. Jack said, “I’ve got tools. I’ll get a wrecking bar and open this shed. You see what’s in that one. It smells like a something crawled inside and died”

He took off and I pulled the peg, swinging the door open. There were some wooden crates piled haphazardly in the front and along one side. There was something dead in here and that was for certain sure. I eased around the crates and almost stumbled over a dead man stretched out on the floor. I backed out. The smell was overpowering. I couldn’t help from puking. “What’s the matter with you?” This was Jack approaching from across the yard. I jerked my thumb pointing to the shed.

Jack’s stomach was stronger than mine, but he did gag some. “What’ll we do?”

“Get the marshal up here and let him handle this.”

“I’ll send a messenger for him. Brady, this ain’t going to make him happy a’tall. There have been an awful lot of people killed since you came to town.”

“I know, but all of it has been forced on me. I wonder who he is.”

When he returned he said, “I’ll ask some of the crew that works here if they know him. They might recognize his clothes.”

“Good. Have you seen Berta and Sarah today? Sarah came in early and Berta left home an hour later.”

“Yeah, they hooked up and were going to talk to the marshal. They were headed for the rooming house for dinner come noon.”

“Okay. They’ll likely be at our office when we get done here.” The crew who were working on tearing down the wagon shed farthest from where we found the body caught a good whiff. They traced it to where we were standing, and also were curious why we had sent a man for the marshal. One of them had to see. He came out and upchucked just like I had.

He was the only one who went in to view the corpse. He didn’t know who it was. The crew moved back to where they had been working and Jack and I went with them. It was just too rank here. It was almost an hour later when the marshal came into the yard.

“What’s going on, and what do you need me for?”

Pointing, I said. “There is a body in the shed over there. He’s been dead long enough to smell some.”

“Jeesuss Boyd, everywhere you go there is a body. Christ, it isn’t just you, but your wife too.”

“Oh, she told you?”

“She said she saved your life. That true?”

“She never lies, so it must be.”

“All right, I see what we got here. Stay back.”

“You can count on that.”

I will say one thing for the marshal; he went about his business of determining who this dead man was. He had me and Jack move some of the wooden crates in front so he could look at the body. Tex was standing there and was directed to get a piece of canvas to lie next to the dead person. “Grab his leg and pull it onto the canvas.” Now we had a good look at him.

One of the crew spoke up, “That’s Spud. He was one of Trace’s buddies.”

The marshal turned to Jack. “Didn’t you say you thought you wounded a man who was trying to set fire to the freight yard?”

“Yeah.”

“Was one of your men using a shot gun that night?”

“Yeah, Harry was.”

“Well, this has to be him then. Wrap him up in the canvas and put him on a buckboard. I’ll get someone to dig a hole over to the cemetery. We’ll get him in the ground as soon as possible. Does anyone know his full name or anything about him?” No one did. “Brady, I’m getting pissed off with all the killing going on. I’m going to have a town ordinance that if you kill him, then you dig a hole and bury him.” He grinned when he said more. “And that goes for your wife too.”

I couldn’t let this go by. “Oh come on Marshal, tell me the town isn’t better off without this scum?”

“You may be right, but it has to stop.”

“Maybe it will now. People will get the idea they can’t screw with Brady Boyd and his freight line. Marshal, you hire someone to dig the hole and I’ll pay them.” The marshal nodded and moved to his horse and mounted. I had an idea when the body reached the cemetery, the hole would have been started.

Berta was at the freight yard when Jack and I got back. “Hey, Berta, we don’t have to worry about any of Trace’s men any longer. We found the last one dead in a shed over at the other yard. The marshal is taking care of having him buried.  What’s going on here?”

“Not much except there was someone from the army in. I think he said he was the quartermaster up at Laramie. He is over to the saloon having a drink. There were four troopers with him. I told him you would be back or I could send you over there to talk to him. He looked like he was a boozer, so maybe you better go over there and see what he wants before he gets too drunk.”

“I’ll see what he wants. I hope its business. We have too many wagons idle and not out on the trail. I’ll take anything.”

“Sergeant, you were looking for me?”

“If you are from the freight line, I am?”

“You called it.”

“Good. The army has supplies that we need in Laramie. They’re coming into Maxwell in about ten days. What are you using for draft animals to haul supplies?” 

“Oxen, mostly, although we do have several teams of mules. They are about a third faster than the cattle, but the cattle pull better. How’s the Indian situation along the way?”

“Pretty unstable. We’re going to be setting up forts up through the territory north of Laramie. The Indians are getting restless what with all the influx of the white man in their hunting grounds.”

“I know. I came down through there this spring. I was warned that trouble was coming?”

“Who warned you?”

“It was a trapper who has been living with the Indians.  He had his squaw with him. Nice woman.”

“I don’t believe there are any nice Indians, male or female. What they do to the whites, scalping and mutilating them while still alive is terrible.”

“That’s the way they have always lived. They fight amongst the other tribes and treat them the same.”

“You an Indian lover?”

“Not really, but I can understand where they are coming from. It would be like you having a farm and the Indians coming in and picking all your crops, leaving you hungry and doing it year after year. You fight back, but you know you won’t win because there is so many of them and you’re helpless.”

“Well, that’s one way of looking at it I guess.”

“We’re off track here. How many wagons do you need?”

“There is about forty-four tons in weight so twelve wagons should do it if they are of the standard size. The road isn’t too rough. There will be a troop escort riding with you. Two of the wagons will be carrying rifles and we can’t let them fall into the hands of the redskins. There will be an ambulance along carrying our payroll.

“How much in a hurry for delivery are you?” 

“We are hoping for thirty days, but can stretch it out to thirty-five.”

“Okay, we’ll leave in the morning. I have to get there from here.”

“You’re on your own going east. The troop will meet you at the depot and by the time you get loaded, they’ll fall in with you for the trip back.”

“I’m kind of new at this, how do I get paid?”

“You get a draft you can cash at the bank here in town when you deliver. Anything else?”

“Expense, money, I’ll need some.

“I wondered if you would ask. I guess you aren’t so new at that.” He grinned, and pulled a slip from his wallet that was in his tunic. He also had a standard contract which he explained. He laid it on the bar and I signed it. “I’ll give you a draft for expenses you can cash now. Buy you a drink?”

“Let me.”

“Good, I don’t get paid until you show up with the payroll.” I bought the troopers one drink and the sergeant two. I left and headed for the yard hoping Jack was there. 

He looked the contract over. “That’s good, fair too. They must need these supplies pretty badly. There is the bonus for every day you beat the contract of thirty days. In these times they could have penalized you if you went above the thirty-five, but that isn’t in here. I’m glad you have an escort.”

“Jack, I’m going with the train as a swamper. Berta won’t like it, but I have to learn this business if I’m going to be a success at it. Will you be fine here?”

“Sure. I’ve got Sarah. She knows everything that I do. Berta can help too.”

“Good. I’ll talk to her now.”

“You don’t have to Brady, I was listening. I’m going to miss you.”

“Get Sarah to stay in the cabin with you if she will.”

“Okay, I’ll ask. When are you leaving?”

I looked at Jack and he said, “Daylight, about five, I’d say. Be here at four to get hooked up and load what supplies you’ll need. I have you on the wagon Tex will be teaming.”

“Sarah’s crew is here?”

“Yeah, Pete was over there and told me the army was talking to you. They never need less than ten wagons. You’ll be using the mules, won’t you?”

“Yeah. Berta, I’m going to stay here tonight. This is the first big train we’ve had to put together and I want to be here and watch it.”

Jack laughed. “You’ll do more than watch. Tex will have you jumping. He’ll be swearing a blue streak at you. Boss or no, you’re a greenhorn and he’ll break you in right.”

“I can take it.” Four o’clock the next morning, the twelve teamsters and the twelve swampers headed out to the feed lot and fed the mules. There were 4 mules in each wagon team. Theoretically, each mule would be pulling one ton of weight. They were harnessed at the feed lot and driven back to the yard and hooked up to the wagons. The mules were excited knowing that they were going to be working. Occasionally there was trouble harnessing them and even more when hooked on.

—————————————————

Berta, who had mounted my horse, watched the operation. I kissed her and at five thirty we were on the road. She rode with us for a couple miles before waving and turning back. It must have been quite a sight with twelve wagons and team all in a line starting at a fast trot and heading out onto the trail.  We would not be returning over this road on the trip back. We would be North of here coming up the Oregon Trail on our return. There wasn’t the heavy traffic of wagons traveling this trail west, although there was some.

We had to slow down sometimes when we met a wagon pulled by oxen as they were slow to move out of the way and sometimes the trail was narrow at that particular place, but we were making time. We stopped at noon and made coffee, giving the mules a breather. It was the swamper’s duty to build a fire and do the cooking and any other thing that the teamster demanded.

I had been warned that Tex was demanding, but maybe he remembered who was paying him and didn’t have the occasion to shout at me too often. I walked up to talk a minute with the wagon boss. He had worked for Jack before I won the business. I reminded him that I had Jack put some sacks of grain in one of the wagons. “Feed the grain when you think it will do the mules the most good.”

“Them mules won’t know what it is to have grain while pulling an empty wagon. They don’t usually get that until the wagons are loaded and they have to pull.”

“Feed it, I want to make time. If we can shave one day off it will more than pay for the grain.”

“Okay, you’re the boss. What gave you such an idea anyway?”

“I kept two mules and a horse on bunch grass and brush all last winter. I had packed in some grain for when we came out this spring. It paid off and they didn’t tire by the end of the day. We were going from dawn till dark and it was me and Berta and not the animals who gave it up by nightfall.”

“Okay, but I still think it unnecessary.” I shrugged and went back to my wagon.

We knew there wouldn’t be much for browse for the teams, what with the trail traffic. Wagons headed west had fed it off this close to the trail so we were carrying hay with us as well as the grain. Hopefully we would be able to buy more when we reached the depot for our return.

We saw some Indians in the distance, but none came near us. We arrived in Maxwell two days early. The wagon boss had been stretching our days out, so we made the journey in eight days instead of the ten he had estimated. We had to wait for the supply train coming from the east one whole day. That was fine ’cause the mules needed the rest.

The four troopers that would be escorting us arrived after dark on the next day. We had rested and would be loading the next morning. We could unload one wagon to another. This was good because the wagon beds were the same height, making it able to move a barrel or box to be rolled from one wagon to the other. Most of this work was done by the army personnel from the depot. We were able to load four wagons at a time, so it didn’t take long for the transfer.

The corporal in charge of the troopers from Laramie told us about the trail and the conditions coming down. Indians were still quiet, although every wagon was being observed. Our wagons all were canvas covered, but with the trooper escort, it was easy to surmise what the load was. We headed out before seven and were now heading generally west on the Oregon Trail.

It was good weather for the first three days and then we had a heavy rain one afternoon and all night. After we circled the wagons; which was standard procedure, we kept the mules in the enclosure so they wouldn’t wander away. In the morning, it was miserable crawling from under the wagons where we slept in inclement weather. Two hours out on the trail, we ran into a section of a quarter mile where we had to double hitch the teams to get through the mud.

This meant we took a wagon through the mud with eight mules pulling and then brought the eight back to hook onto the wagon left behind. Thank God, this was a short stretch. And we weren’t held up many hours. It was slow going too when we reached the hills. The mules were given a breather more often.

Going down the other side of the steep incline was where the swamper came into play and was necessary. He was the one who was charged with applying the brakes on the wagon if the mules couldn’t hold the wagon from over running the team. 

We did have a way to lock the back wheels and put down a shoe for the wagon to skid on. The teamster always had his hands full managing the team. He had two reins in each hand. With a four-mule team, there was a tongue on the wagon with an evener behind each set of animals. Each animal had a whiffletree and the mule was hooked into that with its harness. There was a collar around his neck and that is what the mule leaned into move the wagon forward.

With an ox team, the oxen wore a yoke held on with a bow going over the pair and this was hooked to the wagon tongue. An ox didn’t have the harness that a horse or mule had. The driver of an ox team walked on the left of the lead ox and guided his team with a stick.

The trip progressed and we experienced it all. Dust was a big problem, along with the mud, the hills up and down, and the traffic. We had joined the movement of those headed west. Some of it was faster than our train and some slower. The wagon boss was the one who guided us to keep us moving.

The troopers performed as scouts by riding off to the side, two to the left and two to the right. They were also charged with the security of the payroll ambulance. We were able to purchase hay and grain at some of the settlements along the way. This trail had been in existence long enough so those that had produce came from miles away to sell to those traveling the trail. We were more or less following the trail the Mormons had opened up.

We could tell those teams where the owners of the wagons were short of money because these had to search out browse for their animals. Some of them looked powerful gaunt and you wondered if they would ever make it to California or Oregon. You could worry they would be caught by snowfall in the mountains. There were so many of these you had to put them from your mind and hope they made it to their destination.

We made the trip with two days to spare. There was a bonus earned, which I had to remind the quartermaster he had promised. It might have been argued but the troopers had said we had got in before the supply train from Independence arrived. This actually did work to our advantage by giving the mules a full day of rest.

Berta and Jack were surprised when the wagons were turned into the home yard. Berta wasn’t bashful about letting me know how happy she was to see me. She kissed me repeatedly telling me in front of the teamsters how much she had missed me.

Jack broke in. “How did it go? You must have arrived early because you are here three days before we expected you.”

———————————

“Two days bonus in my pocket. Some difficulties but I understand there actually fewer than what the wagon boss expected. How are things here? Any troubles?”

“Berta will tell you about it. That’s some woman you have there. I swear to God she isn’t afraid of anything or anyone.”

 I turned to Berta. She had a grin on her face. “Okay, tell me about it.”

“Brady, you know the line delivered a load of freight to Sawyers store. I warned everyone weeks before that that it was cash when delivered. I went over there when the month was up to collect, thinking maybe Sawyer didn’t understand. He understood when I finished talking to him, but I gave him one more day. Again, I went over when the day was up and he was laughing at me.

“The fat bastard thought this was a joke. He knew you had left with most of our men on the wagon train. I went prepared. I had borrowed Jack’s Paterson and when Sawyer turned me down again, I stepped out onto the stoop and fired off a couple of rounds into the air. It wasn’t long before a crowd gathered. I stated; “Sawyer is out of business. I figure Royal Flush Freight owns what he has left of what we delivered to him a month ago. I’m claiming it until he pays up or leaves town. I paused, and then I said I would face him in the street if he wouldn’t pay up.

“The crowd laughed and just then the marshal arrived. Sawyer was glad to see him. Anyway, the marshal got me into the store and sat Sawyer and me down. Sawyer had that crappy grin on his face. That is until the marshal sided with me. I guess he knew Sawyer was trying to squirm out from paying at all.

“The marshal told him he might not know it, but he, Sawyer was possibly putting his life on the line. The marshal warned him that I had killed two men already. One who was intending to rape me and another just a bit ago when the man ambushed her husband. Shot him right in the head to finish him off, she did.”

“Sawyer went and got his money bag and paid me. I came down off the steps waving my money. I’m some kind of bill collector, ain’t I?”

“This means we have lost a customer, you know?”

“I don’t think so. Sawyer came by four days later when he found out he couldn’t get anyone else to freight his supplies. I just told him he was paid up so of course we would freight supplies for him. He touched his brow when he left. That’s showing respect, you know.”

I burst out laughing. “I know; I’ll have to remember that.”

“Now I want to know all about your travels. How did you like being a swamper? Jack said Tex would work your ass into the ground.”

“He was okay. I pretty much learned what being a freighter is. That is what I was aiming at. I think you had more fun than I did. Let’s wait until tomorrow to talk about my experiences. I have other things on my mind and they concern you.”

“It isn’t me; it’s just my body you want. Brady, you remember you said you wanted to get married so you could make babies? I have to tell you, you were successful. I do believe I’m pregnant.”

“That’s wonderful, Berta. I want you to be more careful than you have been. No more challenging our customers to a gunfight.”

“Brady, I didn’t realize I was pregnant when I pulled that stunt. I’ve been very careful since that day.”

“Well I guess I had better be getting about building a home for the little one.”

“It’s already started, Brady. I knew you wouldn’t mind.”

“Good, let’s go home right now. I need to hold you.” Then I had another question, “What are you riding?”

Berta smiled and I figured she would say she was still riding astride the mule. “Jack bought a two-wheeled gig from one of the wagons going west. He figured that’s what I needed. They knew they had to sell it or leave it so he offered them five dollars and they were glad to get it. It is being pulled by a mare that was in the same wagon train. She’s kind of old, and tired from traveling this far, but it is just what I need and she will come around when rested.”

“That’s going to be some let down after riding that mule all the way down from Montana.”

“I know, but I’m responsible for more than just me now.”

“Jack, has anything got done on getting the yard moved to the Newell lot?”

“I think you will be happy with the progress. We have the Frachette yard cleared and we have used much of the torn down sheds to build new ones out there. We also spent the time in getting Sarah’s house set on a new foundation. It has a full cellar under it. Sarah is happy with the trade you made her.

“The Banker wants to talk to you about the Frachette property. He approached Sarah about it, but she said you were the owner now. He was disappointed. He thought she would have been easier to deal with than you, so he has something in mind for it already.

“Good, I have a draft from the army I have to deposit. I’ll talk to him.” No one said anything for a moment. “Berta, let’s go home. We have a lot of catching up to do.” Jack shouted out the door for someone to harness Berta’s driving horse and to saddle mine. God, was I going to be happy sitting a saddle again after 300 miles and a lot more, riding a bouncing wagon.

Sarah’s house looked as if it had been sitting there forever. There was a flower garden outlined with stones on both side of the steps. A little porch had been constructed, just big enough to stamp your feet on. The yard hostler came out and led our horses away. I put my arm over Berta’s shoulder and we headed up to our own home. When I got closer, I could see there was a chimney and glass in the window where the stove pipe came out of before. Then I realized the building was a third larger than it was when I left. It had an addition on the rear.

“You’ve been busy?”

“Very. Every morning I would get up and decide what your priorities would have been if you were here. Jack was a big help. If he didn’t know, then I did. Look at the wagon sheds. We figured we would need about twenty and we are almost there. The barns go up next. With the teamsters and the swampers back, it’ll get done fast.

“What’s Sarah been doing all of this time?”

“She works in the office and is getting re-acquainted around town. It is paying off. She has hauling jobs lined up for the next two months … nothing big like you just returned from, but big enough for us to make a profit on every new job.  Brady, I have spent money while you were gone. It had to be done.”

“No problem. Sweet, I’m going down and swim in the creek. I’m filthy.”

“I am too. I’ll go with you.”

“This ought to be fun.”

———————————

I hit the ground running in the morning. I was looking out the door at where all the new buildings were going up. I noticed a horse standing at the hitching post near Sarah’s house. I started to turn back and ask Berta about it. The door to the cottage opened and Jack stepped out, putting his hat on his head. He turned back once and waved. He climbed into the saddle and waved at the house again.

I said to Berta, “Jack was over to see Sarah. Is that unusual?”

“Nope, he stays there now. The night person in the yard saddles his horse about this time. I forgot to tell you they plan to marry at Thanksgiving time. I guess you could say she’s trying him out. I’m glad of that. She won’t be casting eyes at you.”

“It wouldn’t have done her any good.”

“I know, but she might have tried. Come eat your breakfast and then I can get ready to go into town with you.”

“Okay, I’ll eat and while you get ready, I’ll harness your horse and hitch it to the gig.”

“Brady, saddle the mule. I hate that damned gig. Oh, I’ll use it when I get too big to mount, but not yet.”

“Are you sure you want the mule?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, you know best.”

“Brady, that’s what I love about you. You never argue with me.”

“That’s ’cause you are usually right. I would if I thought you were wrong.”

When I got down to the stable, Sarah was there saddling her horse. “Brady, I’ll ride in with you. While I have your attention, I want to tell you that Jack and I are now a couple. We’re getting married soon.”

“Berta said that.”

“You okay with it?”

“I was hoping you two would get together. When I set up the company on shares, I figured it would throw you two together and this would be the result. In fact, Berta named me cupid.”

“Brady, you did me a favor killing Frachette. I really didn’t have much of a life with him. Now with Jack I can spread my wings a little.”

“You looking to have kids like Berta?”

“Nope, I’m ten years older than you two. Jack is ten years older than me. I never planned on having any, so we are going to pass.”

“Your choice. Me, I want my blood to continue.”

“That’s as it should be.” I led Berta’s mule up to the door and she came out and mounted up. We fell in with Sarah and I followed behind. Two good looking women; dressed now almost alike, one closer to me than the other, but both my friends. When we reached the yard in town, I could see there had been some major changes. The wagon sheds were gone. They had been torn down and the lumber stacked at the Newell place. I hadn’t noticed that part when I looked around at the progress.

Jack came out and said the owner of the livery stable who owned the land our barn was on wanted to buy the building. Jack had built the barn after he leased the land. There was nothing in the lease where the livery owner had any claim to the buildings. Jack and I discussed this and we agreed on the price we would ask. We had to build a larger barn anyway. It would save us time from tearing this one down and much of it couldn’t be used anyway.

Jack and I went around to the livery office. We told the owner what we had for a price. He said he wouldn’t pay that much. He would make an offer.

“How much will you pay?” It was too low.

I said, “Make you a deal. You pay that, let us keep that cubbyhole we have been using for an office, stable our mounts for free when we are in town, and we’ll accept your offer.”

“Done.”  I scribbled out a paper giving him title of the barn along with the conditions. I left Jack there and headed over to the bank to deposit my draft from the government.

I went into the bank and handed the teller the draft. He took care of the deposit and then told me he was to inform Mr. Cosgood if I came in. He opened the manager’s office door told him I was here. George beckoned to me.

“Brady, did you have any trouble on the trail?”

“Not really I guess, or so the wagon boss told me. We did get in two days early and got a bonus for doing so. George, you left word you wanted to see me?”

“I did. I thought I would approach you first without your other partners present. You know it looks like the town here is going to keep building and increasing in population. Sarah’s former freight yard and her house lot are cleared of any buildings and it is in a direction the town plans to expand. The bank and some of its backers are interested in owning it to control the new development.

“You came by the property without costing you very much. The bank owns Sarah’s half acre lot and another two and half acres that your company owns makes it damned valuable.”

“What’s the development going to be?”

“We don’t know yet, but we are willing to buy to control the future of the property.”

“I suppose we were going to sell sometime. What are you offering?”

“Brady, you set a price and we will see if we can meet it.”

“I’ll have to talk to Sarah, Jack and Berta. We are all in this together.”

“I thought you would be the one that had the say in this?”

“Nope. If it was just me and Berta I might, but Sarah and Jack are busting their butts to help make our company a good one. Given that the property was Sarah’s father’s, it would be hers now if I hadn’t got involved, she has more say than I do. At least in my mind she does. George, you must have a figure in mind that your backers won’t go over.”

George grinned. “Well I suppose I do, but I wouldn’t want anyone to know that I told you.”

“Write the figure on a piece of paper and go get me a cup of coffee. I’m not crooked enough to poke around. You can trust me.” And then I grinned back at him.

When George came back with my coffee and found his desk was exactly the same way as he had left it. He now changed the subject and we made small talk for twenty minutes or more while I finished my coffee. As I was leaving I grinned again. “Sarah turned you down when you talked to her earlier didn’t she?”

“Brady, I was just seeing how tight you and your partners were. Did she tell you I talked to her? I asked her not to.”

“She didn’t tell me, but word gets around, especially, when two of my partners are getting married soon. No harm done. I’ll get back to you.” He waved at me as I stepped out. I headed for the freight yard and office. My partners were there.

“Okay, here’s the deal. George Cosgood wants all of Sarah’s former property. I take it he is fronting for some developers. I do have an idea what they will pay for it. I think we should ask for a little more than they are willing to pay. We can dicker from there.”

“Don’t go too high, Brady, the company needs the money this winter when it slows down around here.”

“Okay Sarah, I won’t. That brings up another question. Are you still okay that the money from it goes into the business?”

“I am. I’m not asking for any of it and I’ll tell you why. You got me out of a marriage I wasn’t happy in. You’ve given me a job and some shares in your business. Also, you’ve paired me up with Jack, so all in all it is a win-win situation for me. Do you want me and Berta to deal with Cosgood? We might do better than you.”

“Sure go ahead. I’m going home and look the ground over and see how far Jack has advanced in moving things forward while I was away.” Just then, a man came in and asked about some wagons to move hay. The stacks were located back down the trail fifteen miles. We discussed moving it and I agreed to take my pay in hay. We had enough lined up to feed our teams, but some of it wasn’t of the best quality.

“Go take a look at it tomorrow. The guy I’m buying from will be around there someplace. It’s in a meadow well away from the trail and there is a wet spot getting to it.”

“Where do I deliver the hay to?”

“It is half-way between here and Fort Laramie. I’m buying it because I think the Calvary will need it this winter. It’s a forty-five mile trip and no way that’s a job getting it during the winter as far as I’m concerned.”

“It could be done, but I’d have to charge a lot more.”

“My thoughts. I’m buying it right hoping I can cover the cost of moving it and still make money.”

“I’ll get down there by ten. How am I going to find the place?”

“There’s a big stone on the right as you go down the trail. It has a white one set on top of the bottom stone. The track goes up the hill from the trail. The wet spot is just as it levels out.”

“Steep?”

“It’s a climb.”

“I’ll find it. See you tomorrow.” I thought to myself he wasn’t telling me how steep or how big the wet spot was. I’d see. I headed out of town toward home to see how my new freight yard was shaping up.

Jack had done wonders so far. He had cleaned up the Frachette property and material that hadn’t gone into wagon sheds was stacked ready at hand behind them. He had had a cellar hole dug, laid a foundation and moved Sarah’s house onto it. I could see there even was a little structure out back that you knew was the outhouse.

Berta must have had him be the one to build a new section in the rear of our own home, and this was only framed; but would be ready for cold weather. There was a new chimney of stone, too. I paused in looking around and my mind went back to a year ago. At this time last year, I had only gathered what I needed to trap for another season. A year ago, I would be putting my horse and two mules onto a boat and heading up river from Independence, Missouri. So much had taken place since.

I wasn’t alone and had the love a fine woman, now pregnant with my child. I had money in the bank, had a profitable business and I was acquiring friends and respect from all quarters. More than that, I had met and dealt with several challenges where any one of them could have killed me. Also, before meeting Berta, I didn’t know that I was living a terrible, lonely existence.

I wandered over and watched the smith shoe a pair of mules. He worked steadily, not speaking at all. I made the comment that I had shod work animals on occasion. “I figured you did. Jack said you spent last winter up in the mountains. I checked your horse and the two big mules’ hoofs. You did all right with the equipment you must have had. A little rough, but more than adequate.”

“Thanks. Is that broken stuff that came over from Frachettes of any use?”

“I’m finding a lot we can use. The iron parts, especially. There isn’t much that I can’t hammer into something to fit on our wagons. I’ve made up sixteen spare wheels already.” 

“Good.” I looked around some more, not commenting on anything. I stopped and watched the bunk house being put up. The men worked on it when they weren’t on the road hauling. There were always some men here. There would be forty bunks in it when done. There was a common area for playing cards and a room in the rear for the Foreman. It would have two sheet-iron stoves, one on each end of the building. It was bigger than what we had for a crew at present; but Jack was planning ahead.

I decided to go out to the feed lot where we were holding the horses and mules. We had decided that all of our draft animals would be mules or horses. Time was of the essence and they just moved faster than oxen. When I left home, I was more familiar with cattle and the farm where I had stopped had had a pair of oxen. I could drive these a lot better than the mules.

A lot of the immigrants heading west preferred cattle and would trade their horses or mules for a good team. It wasn’t long before our livestock herd consisted of a hundred plus head of mules and horses. We would be constructing a place to stable twenty-eight head here on the Newell place near the hay barn. The rest would be pastured about a mile away and feed transported to them.

There was a bluff that curved around closing off the north and west winds and with blankets on they would survive the winter weather. Even still, they would be looking damned shaggy come spring. More and more I figured that card game had set me up for life. I turned back and met Sarah and Berta coming into the yard.

We left Sarah to get Jack’s supper. “Who feeds the crew and where?”

“There is a cook shack behind the wagon sheds. The crew has been sleeping in the wagons until the bunkhouse is finished. Then the cook shack will be attached.”

“What are they fed?”

“Beans and stew along with johnnycake, Stew is usually beef unless one of them shoots a buffalo out hunting.”

“Where are the buffalo?  I haven’t seen any or heard of them being near.”

“That’s because we are keeping quiet about them. There is a herd of them up on the plateau you reach from the canyon that goes up from behind our house. They may not be there too long. They move south in the winter. The canyon is heavily wooded with hard wood. We are beginning to get our firewood from there. Jack has Harry and the other two men who came with us doing the chopping.”

“Why wasn’t I told about this before?”

“Why should you be? You’ve been awful busy and you hired Jack to manage things. He is happy now that he doesn’t have to bother about all the details of running the business.”

“Well I’d say he was taking care of more details than I knew there were to keep track of.”

“Brady, he likes you. He is tickled that you are paying him well and have giving him a chance to have some of the profit. And of course, there is Sarah. I think he was sweet on her back when he left at the time Frachette took over after her father’s death.”

“He is certainly making it easy for us. Let’s get something to eat. I’m going to hit the sack early; I’ve got a thirty mile ride tomorrow. I want to get back by four tomorrow afternoon.”

“You go armed, Brady. I want you to come home safe.”

“You know I will, Berta.”

——————————

I was late getting up in the morning. Who wants to fork a horse for thirty miles when it’s raining and you are lying next to your wife? Jack had my horse saddled and grinned at me when I mounted. “I guess we both dawdled a mite this morning.”

“Guess so. See you this afternoon. Hope it doesn’t rain all day.” I waved my hand and lit out. I had my oil skin slicker on and I wasn’t that uncomfortable until the rain worked its way down my neck and under my collar. Two hours later, though the rain turned to drizzle and by the time, I found the stone with the white rock on it, the sun was peeking through.

Two miles before I reached the stone marker, I met a wagon train with seven wagons. I never gave them a thought. I did notice a young kid was guiding a team of four oxen. There was a girl on the seat. I went on up the trail and broke out into the level. The wet spot the hay buyer had spoken about wasn’t much. Even the steep trail wasn’t anything to give our teams any trouble. We might put a brake shoe down, but the wagon brake should hold the wagon well enough. 

There were several well-formed stacks of hay scattered over a good-sized field. The peaks of the stacks had a bit canvas over them and tied down. You couldn’t see them, but I imagined the hay had a pole in the center to steady the stack so it could be build higher without falling to the side.

I had moved hay before and had built racks that widened out the wagons. These racks increased the amount of hay we could transport by three times. “Who builds the wagon loads; us or your men?”

“We’ll do it. We can build the load and we will guarantee the hay will stay on. No extra cost to you either.”

“Good enough. I’ll have the wagons here tomorrow at this time. I’ll layover in our own yard tomorrow night and get up to where the buyer wants it unloaded and we’ll be home the following evening.” I shook his hand and headed for home.

I passed the wagon train I had met coming down. There were six wagons in line.  I wondered what had happened to the seventh one. I went around a corner in the trail. Two men had a wagon stopped by blocking their passage with their horses. I cantered up to where I could see everyone. The young boy still had the oxen and the tall girl was on the seat. She looked about ready to cry.

The men must have said something to her and it appeared she didn’t know what to do. When I turned to her she made a decision. She dove back into the covered wagon and came out holding a long gun. I couldn’t tell if it was a rifle or a fowling piece. I stopped my horse so she wouldn’t think I was connected to the other mounted men

“What’s the problem, Miss?”

“Them two are stealing my wagon and the oxen pulling it. Can you help me?”

“I’ll talk to them.” I walked my horse forward. “What’s going on?”

“That wagon belongs with the train I’m boss of. Those fool kids want to go off on their own. Their folks signed on and the wagon has to go all the way.”

“Where you headed for?”

“California.”

“Where are their folks?”

“They died of cholera three days back and we buried them.”

“So actually the wagon and team belongs to them?”

“They’re too young to own anything. Wheeler here is willing to take over and see they get to California. The girl is old enough to handle a man. She’s almost sixteen. He’d make her a fine mate.”

From behind me I heard, “Mister, I don’t want no mate, specially one as filthy as he is. He’s already tried to kiss me and I ain’t kissing no one who chaws tobacco. Hank and me would have done good until now if these men would leave us alone. We got plans. Oh, we know we can’t make it to California, but we want to get to the next town and settle in there.”

I turned to the two men. I spoke mostly to the wagon boss. “I guess I have to say that these youngsters have the right of it. You two go on back to your own wagons.”

Wheeler wasn’t about to let the girl, the wagon, or the team of oxen slip away. He started to get a pistol out of the pocket of the canvas pants he was wearing. The hammer snagged on his pocket coming out. And he was struggling to free it.

“Wheeler, you leave be. You get the gun out and I’m going to plug you.” I had my gun on the train boss and he was backing his horse away from where the girl was pointing. I could see she was holding a shotgun. The boss was smart enough to recognize there was nothing more to be done.

He spoke to Wheeler, “Nothing more for us here. Let it go. Charlena, I’m sorry about your folks. Hope your life gets better. Come on Wheeler. My God you almost got yourself killed and probably me too.” The two turned away and loped back around the corner.

The two youngsters now had to determine if I was safe for them or if they had swapped one bad situation for another. “You two folks don’t need to worry about me. We are about three miles from town and my home is two miles beyond. My wife and I own and operate a freight line. I have about twenty wagons and a hundred horses and mules to pull them. We’ll get there and park your wagon. Can you live in it until we make different arrangements for you?”

“We can do that, Mister. What’s your name?”

“It’s Brady Boyd. My wife’s name is Berta. I have two other partners who are getting married at Thanksgiving. The name of our outfit is The Royal Straight Flush Freight Line.”

“I’ve heard of it. People were talking around the campfire one night that you won the business in a poker game.”

“That’s right. What’s your name?”

It’s Charlena Horshack and my brother’s name is Henry. We go by Charley and Hank.”

“Horshack, that’s kind of an unusual name. I have a man working for me named Harry Horshack.”

“If that man is thirty-eight or so, he might be my uncle. Uncle Harry went west trapping eight years ago. That’s the last we ever heard of him and the family figured the Indians got him.”

“You’ll see him tonight. Harry was a trapper and we came down out of the northern mountains this last spring together. Hank, why don’t you get up on my horse and I’ll drive the oxen? Charley, you sit easy and just hold the lines.”

I didn’t make the yard at four like I said I was going to. It was almost dark when we went through town. There was no hurry to the oxen. I saw Berta coming down the trail toward us. She had Harry, Tom and Pete with her. They were looking for me, I’d guess.

“Berta, I got held up and gave these youngsters a hand. They lost their folks back down the trail and there was a man who wanted the team and wagon. Charley and I convinced him otherwise.”

“Brady, I was really worried. Who are they?” I didn’t answer and spoke to Harry.

“Harry, did you have a brother you left back home when you came out here trapping?”

He couldn’t see who was sitting on the seat and Hank wasn’t making a very big lump on my horse. “Yeah and I ought to go back and see him someday.”

Charley made a glad sound. “Uncle Harry, Pa didn’t make it this far. He and Ma died and we buried him three days ago at sunset.”

“Charley, is that you? I don’t believe it.”

“It’s me and Hank is on the horse. I’m glad we found you. We didn’t even know you were alive.”

I broke in. “Let’s keep going. We can catch up on the news later. We need to get these animals fed and the kids too. It’s been a long trying day for everyone. Pete and Tom, why don’t you take over bringing in the wagon? Charley, you get on Tom’s horse and we’ll get supper started.”

“Where do you want the wagon parked? In the yard?”

“No, pull it up in front of our house. These kids will be calling it home until sometime we decide what should be done.”

“Brady, thanks for stopping. That Wheeler would have taken the wagon from me without your help.”

“No problem. Lucky too, you’re now with family.”

“Harry, you come up to the house with your niece and nephew and we’ll get acquainted with them.” We dismounted in the yard and I told the hostler if he could find Jack to have him come up and see me.”

“He’s in town. I’ll tell him when he comes in. Did we get the hay moving job?”

“Yeah, that’s what I want to talk to him about. The wagons need to get going early to keep to the schedule I agreed to.”

“Where’d you find the kids?” Harry filled the hostler in just saying they were family.

Chapter Five

We all got into our small house, Harry included, making it damned crowded. I told Harry, Charley and Hank to sit on our bed while I helped Berta get something for us to eat. This wasn’t a problem, for she had made a stew and always there was more than enough for two of us. Harry said he had eaten earlier.

Berta and I could hear Harry asking questions about his brother and why they had decided to come west. I gathered that it was because the farm they owned wasn’t very good, too small, and they wanted something bigger. He wanted to keep the family together even after Charley and Hank married and had families of their own.

Harry spoke up, “That’s the reason I left home. I knew your Grandfather would be giving the family farm to my sister and your dad had his own place so I picked up and left. I kind of like it out here. I’ve met some great people, especially Brady and Berta. Pete, Tom and me, have been together for five years or more. We were trapping together and would still be, but then Brady won the freight business in a poker game, we threw in with him. He’s a good man to be with.”

This was making me feel glad that I had stepped in and rescued the lass. I still hadn’t had a chance to look her and her brother over. You don’t see behind you when teaming a hitch of oxen. It was just dark when Hank got down from my horse and Charley dismounted from the wagon. Lamp light in our home wasn’t the brightest either.

I ate quickly because I had to have the teams and hay wagons ready to go early in the morning. Harry started to get up when I did, but I told him to sit still and visit with his family. Their wagon and oxen were pulling in when I went down to the yard. I showed them where to leave it for the night. Jack was coming from the stable. He was carrying a lantern

“Come into the house. Sarah will have supper ready for me. The hostler tells me you picked up some of Harry’s family on your way home?”

“Yeah, his brother and wife died a few days ago and his niece and nephew were having some trouble before I came along. Guess the kids figured I was safer to be with than their wagon boss. I didn’t find out until I run him off that they might be related to Harry.

“Jack, we got the hay moving job. Can we get the wagons on the trail real early? The teamsters just have to get there and then the seller will do the loading. It would be good if they can get back and overnight here in the yard before going on. We’ll need the hay racks and a lot of ropes to tie the hay on with.”

“Okay Brady, I’ll go down to the bunkhouse and get things set up.”

I turned away, then back, “Let me have your lantern. The kids will need it getting to their wagon and I don’t have a spare. I guess they will have to stay in the wagon until Harry finds a place for them.”

“Hell Brady, build Harry a shanty and let him take care of them. How old is the girl?”

“She is almost sixteen. I haven’t seen that much of her yet, but she’s tall and I’d guess she is well put together from what little I’ve seen. I guess I’m glad I stopped or she and Harry might never have found each other. Also, the way she was standing up to the wagon train boss, I can see she is no kind of a shrinking violet. She won’t be sitting around being a burden to Harry either.”

“How old is the boy?”

“Don’t have any idea. He looks about ten, but he is a strong, wiry little cuss. He was driving the four oxen when I first saw the train and hours later, he was still at it. He was some scared when those two men held them up from moving on with their wagon, but any kid would have been. You have to remember they just buried their Ma and Pa, too.”

“You’d think people would stay back home, but they keep coming. More and more every year.”

“Jack, did you, and did I? Think about it.”

“Guess you’re right. People have a dream and have to follow it. Some will make it and some won’t.” I couldn’t think of more to say on this.

I came into the house. “Harry, I borrowed a lantern. You want me or Berta to go down to the wagon and help get Charley and Hank settled in.”

“No, as long as they have a light, they’ll be fine. I’m staying with them tonight. I’ll sleep in my brother’s bunk. Charley has a curtain she pulls for privacy. We’ll go down now, they are pretty tired.”

Charley, I could tell was waiting to say something. “Berta, thank you for supper, it was wonderful. Brady, I shudder to think what tonight would have been if you hadn’t stopped when you saw Hank and me in trouble. I’ll be thanking the Lord tonight in my prayers for sending you to help when we needed it so badly.”

Harry spoke up, “Me too, Brady, stopping for the kids like you did and you not even knowing they were my family just shows everybody what kind of a man you are.”

“Go on to bed. We’ll see about everything tomorrow.”

Berta came to me when the door closed and we were alone. “Brady, what a wonderful thing you have done. I’m so proud of you. They didn’t say much except you ran those men off. What really happened?”

“Well, I saw the wagon and two youngsters before I got to where I was going. I was wondering then, how come there was a kid driving the oxen. When I finished arranging to move the hay, I came up on the same wagon from behind. There was the wagon boss and this man had the wagon stopped. The man’s name was Wheeler. I took it he was just a single man with the train, maybe for hunting or something.

“He didn’t look to be any prize and older than us by a whole lot. He wanted the wagon and the team, and he wanted Charley. The wagon boss even said she was old enough to take on a man. She probably is, but she should have a chance to do her own choosing.”

“What I saw of her, she certainly looks as if she could handle a man. She’s taller than me and fills out that heavy kirtle she has on considerable better than I ever could.”

“You fill out a dress to my satisfaction.”

“Yeah, and I’m going fill it out a lot more. The only problem is it is going to be all sticking out in front of me.”

“Sweetheart, that’s the point. It’s what we both want.”

“Mister, you just said the right thing. We could go to bed now. You must be tired.”

“Not too tired.”

I rolled out early and headed for the freight yard. Jack had the wagons ready. The teamsters were having a last cup of coffee before heading out. I addressed them, “Men if it looks like you don’t have time to get back here during daylight, hold up somewhere and wait for morning. I don’t want you coming through town after dark. Too much can go wrong the way you will be loaded.”

“Okay Brady. If it doesn’t come right, we’ll layover someplace else and head right up the trail. We might do that anyway.”

“Good. Send Pete in to keep us posted.  He and Tom will be on horses riding ahead and behind making the drivers aware what the traffic is like, but don’t forget one load comes here anyway.” I watched as they all wheeled out of the yard. 

Jack came up and stood beside me. “We’ve got a good crew Brady, and it’s only because you look out for them. You’re giving them all a home and work and that’s what counts.”

“Yeah, but it started as your crew before me. With us taking on Sarah and the loyal men to Frachette, all have come together rather well.”

“Brady, let Sarah feed Harry’s niece and nephew breakfast. Berta shouldn’t have to do it all. Harry can eat at the cook shack. We’ll get together and decide what to do with them afterward.”

“Okay, fine with me. I’ll go up and have breakfast myself.” Sarah’s house was larger than ours, so we agreed to meet there.

We did meet with Harry, Sarah, Jack, Berta, and me, with the two kids. Charley couldn’t be really classified as a child. She was well on the way to becoming a woman. With the right clothes, she would be a beautiful one.

It was decided that Hank would bunk in with the men in the bunkhouse. We found out that Hank was more than twelve. He was a damned small, almost fourteen, but should spurt up soon. Charley would have their wagon to use for a home temporarily. A shanty would be built across the creek before winter and then Hank, she, and Harry would make a home of it.

In the meantime, Charley would be with either Sarah or Berta when they went into town to the office.  Hank and she both would be responsible for their two yoke of oxen by seeing they were fed and the stable cleaned out around them.

“Brady, if they are needed to move freight, you are welcomed to use them. They are good work animals.”

“Okay. Are any of them that will work alone hitched to a cart? Berta’s cart isn’t being used and it has shafts.”

“One pair could be used. Either one of them will work alone hitched to something like that. Pa had them either skidding logs, plowing ground separately or as a pair.”

“We’ll find a use for them then. You could sell them to some of the wagon trains that go by here.”

“No, they are family. I want we should keep them. One other thing Brady, Hank and I do have a little money. Can we put it into a bank?”

“The first time you go into town, Berta will show you where the bank is located.”

The hay wagons didn’t come in for a layover that afternoon. The one wagon that was to be my pay pulled in at ten the next morning. It was a huge load. The sides of the hay had been raked down and then ropes had been crisscrossed over it. Pete said, “Every one of the loads is like this. The owner sure knows how to fork hay on and build up a load. None of us could have done as well.”

“Good, then they will make it to the man who bought it.”

“Yeah, without a problem.” We decided that we would leave the hay on the wagon and just as soon as the hay barn went up this would be the first hay to go into it. Charley and Hank were curious to see what was going on in the freight yard. They watched everything. Someone put Hank on a horse and he went out to the pasture where the extra horses and mules were held. 

Riding a saddle was something he liked. At home, they didn’t have a saddle horse he could ride. My putting him on a horse the day I found them made him my friend forever. One of the men out at the pasture took him under his wing and began making him a rider.

.————————————

Charley had her mentors too. Berta and Sarah had her with them whenever they went to town. They even bought her some of the same clothes that they wore.  She was much slimmer of course, but you damned well knew she was female. She was just as well satisfied being around the action here at the new yard too. The smith worked every day and the crew was building the hay barn.

She went to Jack and asked him if she could have the smashed up wagon parts that had come from the Frachette property. These were totally scrap and only good for wood this winter. There were also the short pieces that were sawn off the timbers from all the building going on. He told her she could have them if she would move them out of the way.  She soon had a huge pile out behind the blacksmith area. 

When that was done I saw her and Harry down at the creek digging up some clay and loading it into Berta’s cart. I asked her what she was doing. “I thought I would see if I could make some bricks. Harry said we should have a fireplace to heat our shanty.”

“Go for it, Charley. Ask the men building the barn to knock together some forms to make them in if you want.”

“That’ll be great, and better than hand making them.” I laughed for she had Pete and Tom working right along with her and Harry. That is if Jack didn’t have them out with a load of freight. It wasn’t long before there was a blocked off level section covered with drying bricks. Just as soon as they air dried enough, she built an oven with some of them and went to work baking the rest. She was using soft wood to fire the oven and I wondered why. “What are you doing?”

“Brady, I’m building a kiln. The oven I’ve put together won’t bake the clay hard enough to construct a really good kiln, but the ones I am baking will. It’s a two-step process.”

“There’s not enough clay around to make very many bricks.  I suppose I can ask around where I can find some.  Freight cost to bring it in will make the bricks expensive.”

“Brady, I’m just making enough bricks for a kiln and for a fireplace. I was watching the smith and he said he was always short of charcoal. Pa had his own forge and made his own charcoal to use. I watched him build his kiln and I know how to do it. He was always explaining what he was doing as he worked at something. You said I could have all the pieces of hardwood that were lying around so I’m making you some charcoal out of it. What I get from the wood should go Hammer quite a spell.”

“You can do that?”

“I can if Uncle Harry will do some of the chopping.”

“I’ll make it his job. I’m paying him wages anyway. I’ll pay you half what we have to pay for the charcoal. That would be about twenty cents a bushel for you.”

“No, we need a building to live in this winter. I’ll make the charcoal if the men in their spare time will give us a hand.”

“You’ll get a shanty by cold weather, I promise. Why isn’t Hank helping you out with this?”

“There are a couple of Mexican Vaqueros up from Texas out where the livestock is pastured. They are teaching Hank to ride and rope. They said they might go mustanging next summer during dry time. They also said he wasn’t strong enough to catch horses. He laughed at them and said the horse did all the work. He was just going to sit in the saddle and tell the horse what to do. You never should have let Hank sit your saddle the day you found us.”

“Is he staying in the wagon with you?”

“Nope, he bunks with the men. He willingly works hard around the place doing chores and stuff. He doesn’t ever want to be a dirt farmer like Pa was.”

“Well, I guess as long as he is busy, it is okay. Are you satisfied living around here? I know you were headed for California.”

“Of course we’ll stay. Uncle Harry is here and he is a lot like Pa was. Uncle says we will find something to do that can make us both a good living.”

“Maybe this charcoal idea will pan out. It has many uses that we need. Finding dry wood though would be the problem.”

“We’ll see if the kiln works out. I think it will. Pa was a good teacher.”

“Something will come to you. Making charcoal is a lot of work, so it probably won’t be what you are looking for.”

“It takes a long time to get wood dry, so I guess you are right. Of course I could go play poker like you did.” Charley grinned and shook her head.

“You said you heard about that.”

“We did not long after we joined the wagon train. You know you should have a royal flush painted on each one of your wagons. That would spread the word about your freight line. In fact, can I try my hand at it?”

“Sure, go for it. If I like it, I’ll pay you four bits a picture. Make sure the hand is holding clubs.

“Do you want a painted picture on both sides of the wagon?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll get Sarah to help me get some paint colors. She claims she doesn’t have enough to do.” I would dispute this if asked. All four of us partners were damned busy in my opinion.

Jack was everywhere. He had to be moved out of the yard in town to finish putting up buildings here at the new place. Berta and Sarah were staffing the office in town that I had arranged to keep after talking to the livery stable owner. Sarah was out and about town much more than Berta. She had been kept away from the public while married to Frachette and now she gloried in being able to move freely. Just as soon as the new barn was completed, she and Jack were to be married. They planned a dance on the new floor in honor of their wedding.

For myself, I was out making estimates that came in on the requests to move freight. Everything that moved was done by us. Our wagons ranged as far south as Denver, which was a new town that had sprung up. We were a distribution point for goods coming from the east. Sometimes we went north to the Mormon Crossing and west as far as Fort Bridger.

The Russell, Waddell and Majors freight line did much of the long distance hauling and they were a much bigger outfit than ours. The Indian wars were beginning and ours was the freight line that moved the supplies for the troops.

We soon learned what Cosgood, the banker, and his friends had in mind for Sarah Frechette’s former property. It was going to have an opera house on it. The town fathers were concerned about the number of bars that were being built. They figured this endeavor might be good to keep some of the fights to a minimum by filling up seats that would of an evening keep the men from going into a bar to socialize.
 
Charley had a plan and she stayed with it. Some of the bricks she made were a little rough and uneven. The clay had some pebbles in it and she knew if these were screened out she wouldn’t have enough material to make a sufficient number of bricks. She made enough anyway for three fireplaces and the kiln that had made her think of making charcoal.

The smith welded together a metal cap for the kiln out of some worn out wagon tires. This is what worried Charley because it was a needed component to construct a successful kiln. The metal cap that could be used several times.

Berta and I had been up the canyon behind our cabin to see the vista from the high mesa. Some of the men had been up there to hunt the buffalo. When Charley had used the last of the dry hardwood around the area, she came to me. “Brady I can’t make anymore charcoal until I get more dry wood. Can you find me some? I guess I can use some of my money to pay for it.”

It was Berta who asked the question if blown down trees could be used. She had been interested in what was growing in the canyon rather than just where we were going on the way up to the mesa. I had walked right by some dead trees that obviously could be used.

Now we inspected the canyon and found that there was a great amount of toppled trees. The canyon had acted much like a draft in a fireplace. Wind was always present. And in the winter time heavy snow and ice would form on the trees and they would come down with the extra weight helped by the wind.

Above our house and across our lot was the only access to this canyon. We didn’t own the timber rights, but situated as it was we might as well have. It was going to be difficult to get wood down out of the canyon because it was very steep. 

However Charley owned two pair of oxen and they would be the best type of team for pulling trees to the area down by her kiln. The smaller pieces could come down in Berta’s old cart. I had tried to keep Harry, Pete and Tom free to help Charley with her brick making.  Harry had split up what wood Charley had gathered into the right sized pieces.

——————————

Tom was a good worker and an excellent swamper for the teamsters. Harry was too, but felt he should be with his niece, although he chaffed at it. Pete, was a quiet person, did everything asked of him and did it well. Harry had made the comment one time that Pete was the smartest of the three friends. Soon after Charley joined us, Pete set himself apart from the other two by shaving his face at least every other day. Most working men wore whiskers.

Pete got kidded some about it. He just smiled and shrugged his shoulders, never giving an answer when asked why. We were having a busy fall and most of the time Jack needed two of the three men working at freighting. At first Harry was the one to be with Charley, but then I noticed if she wanted something done by any of them, it was Pete she asked.

When Charley started getting wood from the canyon to make charcoal, it was most usually Pete who chopped for her. She was the one to drive the oxen. I asked her where Hank was and why he wasn’t helping her. 

“Hank is doing chores out at the pasture. He has made a lot of friends out there. The cowboys are teaching him to ride and rope. I told you this before. I didn’t tell you that there is also a free Nigra who worked for some plantation back in Kentucky that bred racing horses. He thinks Hank is a good prospect to learn to be a jockey. Something about being small and strong.”

“Nobody has race horses out here.”

“That’s what you think. All the teamsters are excited about it. They’ve set up a course around the pasture and are already holding races.”

“Are they using my horses? It could be dangerous for Hank and for the horse too. Does Harry know about what the kid is up to?”

“The animal that he is racing isn’t one of yours. It’s not even a horse, it’s a mule and terribly fast.”

“So who does own it?”

“Uncle Harry, Hank, and I own half of him. All the rest of your crew owns the other half. I put up the money. We three get half the purse and Hank gets paid for being on him. The men get the other half. They just buy liquor with it, but its fun for all.”

“When is the next race? I think I want to see this mule. You know, I’ve always been partial to them. Where’d the mule come from?”

“Obie, the Nigra, spotted him when that last bunch of mules came in that you bought. He knew the filly he came out of because it was one that was at one time in the stable where he worked. He said she won races for the owner. He couldn’t trace the jack’s lineage, but if the mule is fast it doesn’t make that much difference. Anyway the main race starts at 1:00 in the afternoon on Sunday.”

“No, I guess if he is fast it wouldn’t make that much difference in the jack.  Does Sarah and Jack know all about this?”

“Of course, we paid him for the mule. You didn’t lose any money on the deal either. Jack saw to that.” Charley was antsy like she wanted to say something.  “Brady, let me go, I want to get two loads of wood down today.”

“Okay, sorry to hold you up. Who is helping you today?”

“Pete.”

“He is with you a lot isn’t he?” Charley blushed when I made this observation.

“Pete’s a good guy. I like him a lot.” Again, she looked as if she wanted to say something. “Brady, I’ve known my uncle, Pete, and Tom, two months.  Pete is only nine years older than I am. He doesn’t drink and he saved most of the money he made trapping last winter. He certainly works harder than anyone else. I’m going to be sixteen next week. You heard me tell that Wheeler person that wanted me when you saved me I would find my own man. I think I have found him.”

“Charley, I can’t fault your choice in any way. When you know for sure, let Berta and Sarah know. They do love a wedding. Berta and I were married not long ago and Sarah and Jack will be married just before Thanksgiving. Without saying anything, I’ll get the men going about putting you up a home to live in.”

“Brady, don’t say anything about this. I think Pete will ask me soon. If he doesn’t, I’ll make it so he almost has too.”

“Okay. I won’t say a word.”

Charley had a few more words to say, “Brady, I’m sorry Berta met you before I did, but then I’m just a young girl who has met a man in shining armor. Berta and Sarah both talk to me and tell me about you. You know Pete is awful quiet and doesn’t say much, but I see quite a bit of you in him. I think that is why he is the man for me.”

“Charley, I wasn’t like this before I met Berta. I see you working so hard to cope with all that has happened to you and your loss of family. That’s the way it is with us. The same can be with you and Pete.” I didn’t know what more I could say. “Go on Charley, you have work to do. I do agree Pete is a good man for you.” I turned and went up to see my wife, whom I had spotted watching me talking to this beautiful young woman.

—————————

We all went to the races Sunday afternoon. There were four animals running.  There was our mule. A farmer thought he would try his saddle horse and it did have some lines. There was a gambler, who had won some races with his animal throughout the summer whenever he could find someone to race against it. There were also a couple of men who had a mustang. They had been offered seventy-five dollars for it and just this morning the offer had been upped to a hundred if it came in anywhere near second in this race.

The purse was $100.00. Each animal had to put up $25.00 entrance fee, The Royal Flush Freight Company had promised $25.00 to pay Hank, who was riding our mule. The betting was torrid amongst the spectators. Each animal had their own backers. There were a lot more bets against our mule than for. Pete, Tom, and Harry were circulating throughout the crowd and Berta, and Charley were collecting slips. Everyone knew Sarah so she was holding the money against the slips.

Most of the bets were for 25 cents even, but soon people were asking for odds. Sarah asked me if we should give them and I said I would cover. The course wasn’t anything like you would see at a regulation track. This was our holding pasture. Some of it was rough ground.

The teamsters had gone out and scattered the piles of horseshit enough so the animals wouldn’t stumble over them or have to go around them. There were no fences. You just had to stay outside the flags that marked the course. The track wasn’t round either. There were two flags a hundred yards apart down at the far end. 

You had to go around those to head back to the starting point. There was one more flag of note, which was a hundred yards before reaching the finish line. This created a dogleg to escape a rough section that couldn’t be navigated at the speed they would be traveling. 

Our mule was an ugly looking beast. He was mouse-colored with brown splotches all over him. His ears and head were different shaped and a little larger, and his snout didn’t have that classic shape that was expected in a horse. He was heavier in the feet and legs with a wider chest, and he was longer in length. He’d be no good in a short race, but if he had the chance to get stretched out, there’d be no stopping him.

Hank and the other men who were going to be up, went at a canter around the course to see what the conditions were. Our mule stood with the other three animals. He looked half asleep while being held by Obie. The gambler’s horse was nervous and pranced around some, being kept calm by the horse handler who was with the gambler. The farmer’s horse was being held by his wife. The mustang had two men holding him. He wasn’t half broken yet. He was a beautiful animal though.

The race course was anywhere in length between one and two thirds miles and two and a quarter depending who estimated it. It actually was the full two and a quarter. Obie had measured it. He was leaving nothing to chance. Finally, it was time and everything was set to go. The start was to be all four animals at a walk were to be kept as near nose to nose as possible and when their noses got to a line drawn in the dirt a gun was fired.

The mustang was a little difficult to line up with the others and the four riders had to try three times to get it right. The gambler’s horse leaped out in front and the farmer’s horse was a close second. The mustang did some crow-hopping until it figured out he should be with the others.

Hank knew his mount and had helped set up the course, he was riding his own race. He was swinging wide to go around the first flag and stayed wide for the second. Our bellies were in our throats because the mule was last at the first flag and way wide. He stayed wide at the second and still last. 

It looked as if the mule was rider-less, us looking from a mile away when they went around the first two flags. Hank just didn’t make a very big pile stretched along the neck of the mule. Now the mule was ready and stretched out for the third flag. His position was now in second place, cutting between the gambler’s horse and the flag. Because the mule had stayed wide earlier in the race, he came by the last flag and had a straighter shot to the finish line.

The gambler’s horse was tired. The farmer’s horse never had the speed and the mustang had never been totally under control. The mustang had shown long bursts of speed, and someday with his looks, would make a fine saddle horse. He might even win some races when broke. The race was all over the minute Hank guided the mule on the inside of the dogleg. The mule hadn’t even broken a sweat, whereas the others were lathered up considerably.

The Nigra clapped Hank on the back when he slid off the mule. “Yo, done just right, boy. That almost circle gave that long-bodied mule a chance to stretch out and run, I’se tell you, Mama.”

“Obie, I had to hold him all the way after he went by the second flag.”

“That’s good. You’ll get more horses to race against if you only win by a little bit each time out. This’ll be the last race of the season. We’ll have to not let him get too fat this winter and he’ll be ready go in the spring. He’s still has a good handful of years in him.

————————————

Pete came to me suggesting we have a sing-a-long down by the big barn at the freight yard. It would be one to celebrate Charley’s sixteenth birthday. She had ingratiated herself with everyone from the day she arrived. Being a niece to Harry, she was naturally friends of the freighters. Look what she had done for the company by making sure there was always enough charcoal for the smith’s forge. One of the teamsters had a fiddle and the two Mexicans out at the horse pasture played guitars and sang. A bonfire could be built to sit around.

There were now close to thirty-five men working for the Royal Flush Freight Company. Only two of the teamsters had wives. The rest of the men were single, getting their entertainment by going into town and spending their money in bars and dance halls. Most had to have had some early childhood fond memories of home life. This might be a way to recapture a few moments of that time.

I readily agreed that it was a good idea. Charley had been informed about using her birthday as an excuse for something like this, but I knew Pete had an ulterior motive. He was going to ask Charley to marry him at this event. Why it came to me, but I harked back to a conversation with Berta while in the cave last year why neither of us had married yet.

I made the comment, which she took exception to, about the bar girls and soiled doves were not wife material and I didn’t know any other suitable women. She said many of these women didn’t have a choice if they wanted to survive and it could have happened to her. Harry, Charley’s uncle, and Tom their friend were left to organize the songfest.

I wondered if I contacted some of these dance hall and barroom girls if they might like to put aside their evening business and join the men acting as sisters for a few hours. I went to town and talked to the heads of the establishments where the girls were employed. They all said they would give the women the night off if I would pay them their cut of what the women would ordinarily make for one night. This I agreed to and paid which averaged out to five dollars per woman.

I then talked to the girls asking them to forego their wages for a night out of fun acting as sisters to my men without any intimacies or slutty behavior. All thought this a great idea and promised they would dress and act as ladies; this only after they declared they couldn’t afford it, but would accept five dollars. All in all this was costing me a little under $400 for Pete to ask Charley to marry him.  

I didn’t inform Berta and Sarah what I had done until the day of the event and it would have been too late to back away. Both screamed at me and I had to remind Berta about what she said many months ago.

With that, I suddenly found her in my arms kissing me and giggling. “Brady, you didn’t think you could keep us from knowing about what you had done did you? Both Sarah and I were stopped on the street and questioned about the songfest and if they would be able to sing songs too. One thing you forgot to do was to get transportation for them. Sarah and I have begged and borrowed buggies and coaches for them to ride here. They’ll be arriving in style dressed as if they are going to church and acting like it too.”

I shook my head in wonder. She gave pause, though, when she asked. “Brady, how were you going to explain to your partners about the money you spent setting this up?”

“It’s advertisement, just like Charley painting a logo on all of the wagons. This will be talked of within a hundred mile radius about what the Royal Straight Flush Freight Line did for their men. The men will spread the word, and I’ll bet the women will tell their customers about how nice we were to include them in this.”

“You hope. And why did you do this again?”

“Pete’s going to ask Charley to be his wife. They’re both the best and almost family. Reason enough, I believe.”

“Yes, I guess it is. Did you do anything about refreshments?”

“No, I didn’t think of that either. What are we going to do?”

“I didn’t think we needed much. Sheila is making bushels of doughnuts and we have enough coffee pots. That’ll cover it. You have to pay for the doughnuts, though.”

“Berta, I love you. You’ve kept me from getting my butt into trouble.”

“Yes, and last year you kept me alive. And this year you have given me the baby due in March. It will be one of many, I hope. Now you go spread the word among the men so they will get all cleaned up and you had better let them know there will be some ladies visiting. You might warn them to be on their best behavior too.”

It was 7:00 when the first buggy with five women in it entered the yard. One of the men held the horse’s head and another one handed the women down. They were dressed as if they were would be attending church. The men had rows of planks set in a half circle to sit on. The fire had a bed of coals already and just a few pieces of wood at a time would give light when it got darker.  There was no wind so the smoke went straight up and didn’t blow in anyone’s faces.

There were a number of buggies, one coach and three gigs pulling in one behind the other. One gig was the one Berta was using now instead of mounting her mule. There was no order to where or to whom the women chose to sit next to. One of our oldest men had a girl who looked to be about fourteen sitting next to him. Her hand stole out and grasped his. She smiled at him and I swear there were tears in both their eyes.

When everyone settled down there were several more women present than what I had contracted for. Word of mouth had brought those I had missed. We found seats for all. Just then two men rode in on horses. Someone took their horse and tied them next to where the buggy horses were tied. One of the men had a fiddle case and the other on had a button squeeze-box. I guess we were going to have some music.

Berta poked me. “Brady, this is your show. You know Pete, he won’t say anything.” 

“Well, when it comes time to propose to Charley, he’d better. Not unless you want me to. Oops. I’ve already got my wife.” I was punched in the arm for that remark.

I went up to where a singer would be standing which was near the instruments. “Ladies, welcome. You’ve been invited here to join in our sing-along. You may have seen Charlena Horshack around. We call her Charley, of course. Anyway, she was traveling to California by wagon train. Her parents died from cholera and all she had left for family was her younger brother.
 
“She stopped here because there was no way she could go on. The first night she discovered that one of our men was an uncle which gave her more reason to stay. In various ways, she has helped us out. Today she is sixteen and we want to celebrate her birthday. Pete, the man standing next to her suggested it. He never says much, but he may have something to say before the night is over.

“Charley has been working on a song that she will sing near the end of the evening. It is a new one and just has been published in the last two or three years. She heard it while her wagon train was being made up back at the jumping off place. When we get sick of singing, we’ll have coffee and doughnuts for refreshments. Sheila at the boarding house fried them. I tried to steal one, but got my hand slapped. My mother used to do the same to me many years ago.

“Pedro and Miguel are playing the guitars. Anthony plays the fiddle. They work for me here at the yard. The man who just rode in with the violin is employed at one of the bars in town. He is called the Professor and we welcome him. The other person with the concertina, I don’t know.”

“I’m Cecil Poe and I just went to work in the bank for George Cosgood across from your office. I heard about this, so here I am.”

“It is great to have you. So folks, this little gathering is for several reasons.  It’s Charley’s birthday. My men have worked hard for me and they don’t have but little but memories of their childhood. I have invited you ladies for the same reason. The men you are sitting next to could be your brother or even your father. For tonight, just consider them as your family and treat them as you would if they were.

“Pedro and Miguel will start this off with a peppy little Mexican dance tune and then harmonize on one of Mexico’s many love songs. Enjoy.”

So began our evening. Some of the ladies sang in the establishments where they were employed and were very accomplished. Many of the men knew who they were and clapped for each singer. Four of my Irish teamsters sang as only the Irish can. 

We had music from the Ozarks. There were Jewish and Italian songs from New York City. Whenever it slowed down, Pedro and Miguel had a repertoire of songs from Spain and Mexico. They played waltzes and polkas. One of the ladies got up and did a Spanish dance for one tune. She didn’t have castanets but we all got the idea. It was ten o’clock soon enough.

Pete asked me to introduce Charley and her song. I agreed if he would get up front and thank her for singing it. Anthony, our fiddle player had listened to Charley sing the song often enough so he had the melody. Charley was sweet and virginal looking. There was nothing shy about her after watching others perform. 

“My friends, I heard this song and listened to the words. I loved it so much I learned them.  I understand it is sweeping the country first in the south and now moving into the north. It was written by a man named Webster, whose love was denied him because he was a poor preacher man. His love was a rich woman of his age who heeded her parents and married another and not him. The music was composed by a relative. This is the lament of his lost love, ‘Lorena.’

“It is a long song with many verses.” It wasn’t long before the Professor was able to join in with his violin and the two made beautiful haunting sad strains of music. The sadness was in the words too. By the time it ended just about everybody had tears in their eyes. It was silent for a few moments and then everyone clapped. It really was beautiful.

Sarah stepped forth, “We have coffee and doughnuts for a little break. You may stay as long as the fire holds out.”

One of the doves spoke up. “My sisters got together and we have made cake to share with our brothers. Happy Birthday, Charley. You are first in line.”  Charley showed some embarrassment when Pete cut her a piece from one of the cakes and turned to hand it to her.

“Charley, this would be a good time before witnesses to ask you if you would be my bride?”

Charley, with a twinkle in her eyes said, “Pete, this would be a good time and before witnesses to say I would love to be your bride. When would you like it to come about?”

“That’s not up to me. Christmas time would be a thought though.”

“I’ll work on it. Now let’s get out of the way. I want to thank my sisters for making my birthday so memorable.”

It was past midnight and the moon would be disappearing in another 45 minutes. I announced that if the ladies wanted to get back to town before it got too dark, they should leave soon. There was some brother and sisterly like hugs, but not a thing untoward happened. Everyone had a great time. Berta was tired to the bone and stayed sitting down while everyone filed by thanking Charley, Pete, Sarah and myself.

The bunkhouse was quieter than usual as the men went to their bunks. Jack paused before going into Sarah’s cabin to speak to me and Berta. “How in hell did you dare to do all of that?”

“It did kind of snowball. I did one thing, Pete did his thing, Sarah and Berta did theirs. The men all behaved and I was very surprised we had cake brought by the women for her birthday. Our men will think we care about them because we do. The women will have some of their esteem returned that has been taken away because of having to work in the trade. They say ‘who ever dares, wins,’ and I feel good so we won.” Jack smiled and didn’t answer  as he opened the door. 

———————————

We were in a rush to get ready for winter. All the horses and mules we would be using had to have winter shoes on so they wouldn’t slip. Some of the wagons would have the wheels removed and sled runners installed. We were stockpiling grain and always if there were hay available at a decent price, it would be purchased and stacked. By March, if we had extra feed to go to grass green-up, we would sell the extra.

Always every year there was an increase in traffic through our area so I was informed. This was the unsettled country being waged on the floor of Congress over secession. If it couldn’t be settled there, the south and the slave holders might secede. It would be bloody … we all knew that. In the bar rooms and wherever men met there were heated discussions. Here, I don’t know as we were that concerned. The Indians were more of our concern.

Most cross country traffic had ceased by this time. California was too far away and too dangerous trying to get there during the winter months. There were trappers coming in and heading for the Wind River country. They didn’t tarry, pausing only long enough to ask about the Indian situation and pick up a few more supplies. I was glad I wasn’t going with them. It was comfortable and nice to cuddle up to a warm body and to have a tight roof over your head, with a warm hearth to put your feet on.

Jack and Sarah were to be married two days before Thanksgiving and then go to Denver for the holiday and their honeymoon. Frachette’s yard had owned a poorly maintained coach, but Jack had it rebuilt and they would be traveling in that. It would be driven by one of the teamsters and he would lay over until the return on Friday. The same preacher who had married Berta and me performed the service. There were just a few of us in attendance because Sarah was adamant about not having a large gathering.

Saturday would be the official reception and a dance was planned in the new barn. Here too, it was an invitation only affair. She did agree that if any of the men had a female partner they were welcomed. I personally figured this would be a sizable crowd, which was direct fallout from Charley’s birthday party. Some of the men had been actively dating some of the doves they had met at the time.

For some reason the men came to me and asked my opinion. Could a woman who had been tainted such as these were make a good wife? There was no doubt but what society would ostracize both the husband and the woman, but if there was love there, it might be well worth putting up with it. Those were my thoughts.

“Talk to Berta. I’m just a backwoods trapper. She would know more about something like this than I would.” Berta and I discussed this and she agreed to meet with the women and give guidance if asked. Some of these women were barely educated. Not just in letters, but in solving problems that might arise if their past was brought up. I didn’t like having to take this on, but I had got involved and now I had to deal with it. Too bad, I didn’t think earlier of the possible complications that might result.

Sarah and Jack were married at the boarding house in the morning and their wedding went off without a hitch with just a few attendees. They had lunch and then Tex, driving the coach, picked them up heading for Denver. They had one layover before reaching the Hotel on Wednesday.  They went to a show and retired early that night. A big feast was planned for the holiday. Jack, always looking for new business, made some contacts. Mines were being opened up nearby and he promised to come and talk business with the owners sometime during the winter.

They shopped and generally relaxed before heading home before daylight. Not much of a honeymoon, but the sky was heavily overcast Friday night. An old-timer had predicted heavy snow within a couple of days. The celebration dance was to be Saturday night. Jack and Sarah made it home at dark just as the flakes were beginning to fall. They would have been a bit earlier, but they stopped for supper at the rooming house. Everyone was hoping they would arrive. 

The dance would have gone on even if they hadn’t. The professor wasn’t able to come, but a new musician that played a pipe was found to replace him. A dance caller had been found to call country squares so it was a lively time.

——————————————

Six of the doves came as guests of the men to the dance. One was the small young woman who looked not more than fourteen. She declared she was sixteen. She was the guest of Paddy O’Hara, a teamster who had worked for Jack before I won the company. He was almost three times her age. I guess he had a daughter at one time who died. He never mentioned a wife. This woman, Eva, was thin and sickly looking. She sat next to Paddy at Charley’s birthday. It was kind of sweet seeing them holding hands, though a bit odd.

Eva didn’t dance much, just a couple with Paddy, but she was asked by every one of the men. She apologized, saying she was too weak. There were enough women for the men to have at least one dance with them. Berta was five months along and her pregnancy was obvious. She loved to dance so she was on the floor continually as were, Sarah, Charley and the other doves.

There would be no more dances on the barn floor until warm weather next spring. The hay stacks would be torn town and the hay stored in the barn. Everyone had a great time. When the men came out to take the girls to town there were 4 inches of snow and it was snowing heavily. I saw Charley and Pete talking to Paddy as they were putting on their wraps. Then Berta saw Charley leading Eva to Pete’s cabin.

Berta asked what was going on. “The poor girl has been abused too badly to go back to her crib. She was two months pregnant and the man who owned her has been punching her in the belly trying to make her miscarry. He succeeded yesterday.”

“What’s her story?”

“She said she was picked off the street in Independence coming from her father’s funeral two years ago. Before that, her mother had died and her dad thought they should go west to get away from the heartbreak of their loss. Her father died under the wheels of a runaway prairie wagon. She was twelve at the time. Her clients were willing to pay extra to the man who owns her just because she was so young.”

“Brady, Charley is letting her stay with her. She’ll be sleeping in Hank’s bed. He never uses it.”

“How was she able to get away to come here? Twice now isn’t it?”

“Her owner thought she would come here and the men would see her and request her services. That was the first time at Charley’s Birthday. This time Paddy just went and got her. He isn’t intending to let her to go back.”

“We may get into trouble over this? Her owner will come looking for her.”

“I doubt it. You may see some of the crew riding on one of the wagons out of here tonight. I do believe the person that has been keeping her in a crib will be leaving town sometime tomorrow. I think this is a good thing. Word will get around and all of the girls will be safer because of what happened to her and more than that by what will happen to him.”

“Okay, Berta, but remember we are running a freight company. Those men who have girls in their employee pay us to haul freight for them.”

“I know that, but we don’t need men who make slaves out of the women in this town. Eva has never had a cent to call her own. That’s not right. I don’t even want men like that living here in the territory.”

“You’re right, of course. I might ride along with the wagon when it leaves the yard.”

“Brady, don’t get too involved. I mean don’t let the men kill him. He is a business man, and we do our business with those who are. It’s snowing hard. Do you have to go in tonight?”

“I’ll keep all that in mind about the bar owners.” I saddled my horse and headed for town, looking for the marshal when I got there. I found him and told him what was happening.

“What’s the man’s name?”

“His name is Aden Parks. I’ll be around. None of the other owners like him. He only has one other girl besides this Eva you’re talking about. I guess I’d be okay if your men roughed him up a bit and ran him out of town. Can you control your men so they don’t do more than that?”

“I think so, but I’d like it if you were in the background.” Just then two wagons arrived in front of Parks’ place. It was a small, mean looking building, sandwiched in between two larger ones. I had never been inside. The marshal told me the owner only had an eight foot bar with three tables to sit at. He didn’t serve any food at all. There was one room in the back where Parks lived.

Behind that, there were two cubicles where the two whores worked. The patrons of this particular place were usually pretty well inebriated before arriving at the door. Eva was advertised as young and very pretty and hungry for an older man to make her happy. Her fee was as much as some of the prettier women farther up the street. Being drunk, the men didn’t know the difference.

I was at the door when my crew arrived. “Men, we’re going to run this man out of town. He has to be able to walk to the stagecoach when it leaves in the morning. That’s about five hours from now. Slap him around, but don’t kill him. Paddy, you get the first chance to see what you can do after I talk to the son-of-a-bitch.”

“You’re the boss, Brady.” Thirteen men and I crowded inside. There wasn’t much room.

Parks opened the door when we hammered on it. “Welcome men, welcome. It’s snowing hard and I was about ready to close up, but I’ll stay open. God, there’s a lot of you.”

I spoke up, “We’re here to see Eva.”

“She ain’t here and I don’t know where the hell she is.  She’s an independent little bitch and snuck off. She better be back damn sudden. I’ll slap her around a little. That said; she’s a fine little woman. Until she returns, Addie can entertain you.”

One of my men spoke up, “Bring Addie out. I might have a go at her.”

“I’ll get her up. She’s sleeping. You men order beer or a whisky while you’re waiting.”

“That’s not what we are here for. Go get your woman.”

We could hear the Parks screaming, “Addie, get your butt out of bed. We got business and Eva ain’t here. Put on a robe. You won’t need more.”

The woman Addie, still sleepy, was pushed out into the room ahead of the owner. When she saw so many men, she started shaking her head and tried to go back by him to her cubicle. “I ain’t going to do it. You promised I wouldn’t have to take care of more than five men in a night.”

I calmed her. “Addie, it’s just me and we’re just going to do some talking. These men have some business with Mr. Parks. Can we go into the back?”

“Come along then. What business have them men got with Aden?”

“Well, it has been decided that Mr. Parks should leave town. My men will make sure he does.”

“Why?”

“It concerns, Eva. He made a slave of her and we don’t hold with white slaves. Not only that he has been beating on her and made her lose her baby. Hell, she wasn’t more’n a baby when he snatched her off the streets in Independence.”

“I told him he was asking for trouble. Is she okay?”

“Eva is weak and tired. She’s worried about what’s going to happen to her if she comes back. She said Parks beats her. Tell me, how much do you make for each man?”

“He charges two dollars for me. I get one dollar and room and board. Parks charges more for her because she is young and that’s what men want.”

“Eva claims she doesn’t get any money.”

“That must be why she wouldn’t answer when I asked how much money she has saved.”

“You could do better in a house farther up the street.”

“I’ve been saving my money to buy myself out of here. I’m twenty-seven dollars short of being able to do that.” I needed $500 and I have $473.”

“What would happen if it was stolen or you lost it?”

“I damned sure don’t keep my money here. I keep it in the bank.” Just then we heard Parks yelping not to hit him anymore. We also heard some slaps and the door burst open. Parks came in with Paddy and Tex right behind him. The marshal was standing in the door watching. Parks went over to the side of the room and moved a box that contained stove wood. He pulled it away from the wall and pried away a board down near the floor.

Parks’ face looked he had been slapped around a whole lot. Both eyes were closing and his cheeks looked more like red beef than those of a white man. Blood was dripping from his nose. The marshal said, “Brady, clean him out. He’s been living off Addie and the girl Eva. He get’s twenty-five bucks and passage to Denver, that’s it.”

Parks objected, “I own this building. It’s in my name and it’s paid for.”

Addie spoke up. “I’ll give you fifty dollars for it if you sign it over to me. I always wanted to own a bar.”

“Parks, you had better take it. That’ll give you seventy-five to put in your pocket.”

Parks was whining now at the unfairness of it all. He pulled a long slim box out of a hole in the wall. It looked heavy and made a clunk when he set it the table. “First, Parks, sign the property over to Addie.” It only took a minute. The deed was in the box, and all he had to do was write on the back of the paper, and date it. I witnessed it and so did the marshal and this would make it legal.

I got a nod from the marshal. “How much cash you got in that tin?

Parks had some bills put out by a Denver bank, stacks of double eagles, and various other coins. He tried to slip a piece of paper into his pocket which was a draft on the Denver bank for seven hundred-fifty dollars. We made him sign that over to Addie too. All in all, he had something over forty two hundred dollars counting the draft. I set aside seventy-five dollars for Parks to travel on and eight dollars for his coach fare.

The marshal said, “Take him out. I’ll help Brady divvy up what’s left. Two of you men watch him and make sure he gets on the stage. Addie, I think you had better take care of your bar.  There is a whole roomful of customers out there and they might be thirsty.”

I wanted to make sure Eva got her share. “Marshal, how do you think we should divide this up?”

“Give Addie a fourth and give Eva the rest. Addie has the bar and I’m guessing that’s worth a hell of a lot more than what Parks paid for it. Your crew will patronize this place, I’m sure.”

Most of my crew had tomorrow off, but it had been a lively evening with the dance and all so everyone got back to the yard by 2:30. Berta questioned me when I came in. “What happened?”

“With our help, the marshal is putting the owner of Eva on the early stage this morning. I’ve a little over $3,000 for Eva for back wages and what she has gone through in the last couple years. The other woman with Eva bought the bar before we settled up everything. She’ll be running it.”

“Is she pretty?”

“Not too. Being a whore is a hard way to make a living. Think how pretty Eva will be when she gets well and is treated like a normal human being. I’m tired. I’ll tell you all about what happened in the morning.”

“So tell me about this woman who ended up with the bar?”

“She’s a good-sized woman. Hard to tell how old she is, but still in her twenties. I don’t know anything about why she was doing what she was doing. Maybe she likes it. She did say she was buying herself out of being a whore. I have a feeling she’ll be just as tough as the other bar owners.  I wouldn’t be surprised she might even have a couple of girls working in the back room for her. I’m curious what she will do.”

“Don’t you go around there … I’m beginning to wonder if it was wise to let the men bring women here for their entertainment. Seems like they are nothing but trouble. What are we going to do with Eva when she gets to feeling well again?”

“That’s Paddy’s problem.” 

“May be Brady, but you have to remember those businesses who employ the girls are our bread and butter.”

“You’ve changed your mind, Berta, just a little. I can remember you saying you could have been one of the girls if things had been a little different for you.”

“I know, but it didn’t happen. We can’t save them all from being what they are. Let’s drop it. I’m not going to fight with you over this.”

“Good.” 

I looked at how serious Berta was and then I smiled. Berta wasn’t finished. “You just stay away from that Addie woman

“You’re jealous.”

“Of course I am. I’m getting bigger all the time and it won’t be long I’ll be waddling and then we can’t make love and look at the women that are here now. Sarah’s beautiful and Charley is strikingly so. Now we’ve got that cute little Eva here. Oh, Brady, I love you so much and I don’t want to lose you.”

“Berta, calm yourself, I spent six months in a cave alone with you. I didn’t make a move on you in all that time. Now I have you to cuddle up to every night. You are my life and I know when I’m well off.”

“I am well off too. Better than I ever expected to be. There is just so much going on that I’m not part of. You get along with Sarah well and have helped her with her problems. Along came Hank and Charley. They both take up your time and interest and now there is that little whore, Eva. What are you going to do about her to make sure she has a good future?”

“I hadn’t given it any thought. Tell you what. I’ll let you handle her problems. There is also Addie who just took over the Parks’ establishment. I don’t want Eva living here at the yard. Paddy could be part of it. He’s a good person and he thinks a lot of Eva. She has a lot of money. Figure out what she can do with it. Maybe Paddy could be their bartender and the two women could carry on like they have been in the back. That is if they want to.”

“I’m not going to let Eva go back to being a whore. She is too sweet a person for that.”

“Don’t talk to me about it, she’s all yours.”

I had to talk my wife about something and this was a good time to change the subject to something else, “Berta, I have to give Hank more attention. He was asking me to teach him something that I’m good at. I said I would.”

“What are you good at that you can teach him?”

“He wants to get good at handling a gun. There is a rumor around about our competitors starting some kind of fast mail service across the country from Independence to California. The criteria for the men to ride have to be small men, are good horse-backers and can shoot if need be. He certainly can ride, and true he will never be a big man. All he needs now is to learn how to shoot.”

“But he is so young, Brady. That’s not a kid’s job.”

“He’ll have to pass some kind of test to be hired. It will be another year or more before this is put together. Fifteen isn’t that young. Also, I’ve been negligent in practicing as much as I should to keep in top form.”

“Well, I hope he isn’t hired. That’s awful to have to ride alone through all kinds of weather with all the Indians and everything, but I do see your point. I’ve got the edge on you because no one expects a woman to be able to handle a gun.”

Winter was just about here and snow could pile up and be here till spring. Soon we would be moving freight with mules and horses with packs and panniers strapped on. It all would depend on how deep the snow, how far, and what the freight was. We of course would take the wheels off some wagons and have runners put on.

We had our monthly meeting on the first of December.  There was still little appreciable amount of snow. This time last year, Berta and I were locked inside our valley and we were running trap lines every day on snow shoes.

Jack asked, “So Sarah, and Berta, how are we doing overall?”

“Damned well. Even with all the time Jack and I spent getting married and stuff like that, we’re making money hand over fist.” This was Sarah speaking.

“I asked, “Do you agree, Berta?”

“I do. The company’s cash balance at the bank is damned healthy. Even with the cost of putting up the new buildings we are doing great.”

“Is everyone satisfied with what we are each drawing for a salary? I know I am.”

Berta answered, “I know I am too and I could take less because I won’t be involved that much this winter. When the little one pops out, I still think it is enough. Sarah says she is getting paid plenty. It is up to you, Jack. Do you need or want an increase?”

“Nope, I’m satisfied. I’m making more than I did when I was an owner. I was wondering about investing some of the money we have in the bank?”

I was interested. “How?”

“We have to go as far as Maxwell with loads of freight going east and that is about as far as the freighters coming west want to go. If we had a warehouse of our own, we would be traveling loaded both ways. We need a warehouse here too. If we really wanted to branch out, Denver would be a good place for one. The Colorado mines there are going full blast. Our biggest savings would be in man power. There wouldn’t be so many layovers waiting on goods coming in. Cost of manpower is what kills us because we can’t rightly charge for waiting time.”

“You’re correct in that. I’ve wondered if we shouldn’t look at moving ore from the mines to the smelters.”

“I don’t know. I talked with some men who hauled ore. Equipment cost would go way up. Also, the mine owners pretty well dictate what they will pay to move a ton of ore and it ain’t that much. Not only that, it is damned dangerous.”

“Okay, we’ll forget that idea. The warehouse idea has merit. We should look into it more fully.” I stopped talking while I thought about Jack’s idea. “You know, I think a warehouse here should be our first priority. If we get one built during the winter we could store the trapper’s furs coming out of the hills in the spring until we got a full load. It would be better than having them sitting on a wagon.”

“That’s fine, but who will oversee it?” 

“Jack, how about Pete bossing Harry and Tom?  They did well with the barn and stables. They built Charley’s cottage. I say cottage because the building turned out more than the shanty I envisioned. Hell, Charley needs something to do this winter because she would never be able to get wood down from the steep draw that goes up to the butte. She’s well thought of and all the men will do just about everything she asks. She’s one smart woman and can put it all together. The four of us are so busy we don’t have the time to do it and it would be nice to get it built before spring.”

“I’ll approach Pete and ask him if he would ask Charley to help him. Anything else we should cover during this meeting?”

“Can’t think of anything.

——————————

“Brady, all of us are getting to be pretty well known as business people. Don’t you think we should be more visible? I’m thinking we should be seen out in public more. Let’s all have lunch in the uptown restaurant once or twice a week. If there are at least two of us in town we should meet there.”

“Okay Sarah, see if they will reserve us the same table on those days. It would need to be out of the way, but one where we can be seen and where we can see everyone. It wouldn’t make sense to be stuck off in the corner somewhere.”

“Good thinking. I’ll do it.” This was a good move and over a period of time all of the business owners in town met with the four partners. Charley was often there when Berta or Sarah were. People around town knew it was Charley who painted the full flush logo on our equipment and she was welcomed to sit with us. Occasionally she was asked to paint a business sign for someone.

I had Charley and Pete look into the building of the warehouse and decided it would be a good move and I wanted to get going on it sooner than later. It was too late in the season to do much about building this year, but again Charley figured out something temporarily. “Brady, I wish we owned a saw mill. You spend an awful lot of money on building goods.”

“No Charley, we have too many irons in the fire now. No more new projects. We have enough money to buy what we need. You just make a list of what size timbers are required. Branch Biggers and his crew can hew out the timbers we need. The only thing is when we build a permanent structure it would be best if they can be reused.”

“I can do that. What are you going to want for a roof?”

“There are always shakes that can be made. The men could help do those this winter. Probably later in the future when more permanent zinc sheets are available, they will be better, although by next spring there may be enough copper sheets to cover the roof. There is a copper plant next to a mine that opened in the next territory near Denver. I should know because we brought in a pair of rolling mills for them.”

“What about the sides of the warehouse. What is best?”

“Canvas will have to do for that this winter. Next year boards and batten will be available if we put in our order now.”

“Okay, but Brady, why the wait until spring?  If you constructed the dock and built the floor space this winter, you could cover everything with canvas.

“I’ve sent Pete around to talk to people about the foundation. If you can find a place to buy cement and can get it here by May we should be all set to begin to make a permanent structure at that time. I’ll start ordering the heavy timbers.”

“Charley, this isn’t too much for you to take on is it.”

“Naw, I like to keep busy. I’m so glad you depend on me. I wouldn’t have a chance such as this anywhere else. You’ve seen that I have a place to call home and a man to make me happy. What more could someone like me ask for?”

“It should be Harry’s job. He’s your uncle.”

“I know and I love him to pieces and he’s great when you tell him what to do and how to do it, but he’s happy not having to push himself. That’s what drew me to Pete. He is always trying to make things better. Pete is like I am. If we don’t know about something we find someone to tell us how. That’s especially for me anyway.”

“In a way you are much like Berta. She will do anything for her man. Pete and I are blessed.

———————

The four of us who owned the Royal Straight Flush freight line talked about having the warehouse constructed. We had a suitable spot for it close to the road that went by our compound. When we brought the freight that would be stored, it could be unloaded before the teams and wagons were stabled. We could even sell some goods out of the warehouse at retail and we wouldn’t have to handle it again. This meeting was to get all of us on the same page and to iron out any differences in thought.

“Who is going to oversee putting up the building? We are too damned busy now.”

“I’ve already talked to Pete and Charley and they have been doing some planning. Construction slows down in the winter, and I know for a fact that Branch Biggers would take it on, because he hasn’t anything big lined up. I’ve talked to him about this. He could see to hewing the timbers for the frame and putting it together. 

“The roof could be shakes. There will be enough men not working in the bunkhouse that could rive some cedar shakes. Charley could coordinate the operation and Pete could manage the help, all this under Branch.”

“You won’t find boards for siding this time of year. The mills are busy stockpiling for next spring.”

“We’ll use canvas for the winter and see about more substantial siding when spring comes. We get the floor and dock built, we can store goods under canvas until the frame and roof is finished.”

Jack spoke, “We don’t have much money to do all of this. It’s going to cost considerable for the construction and we’ll want to buy goods to put in it.”

“We have plenty for the construction …” 

Sarah broke in, “I don’t want to borrow money to buy goods.”

Jack agreed, “I don’t know if I want to either.”

“That’s okay.  I don’t mind going it alone on this. The freight company can own the building. Whatever stock Berta and I buy that goes into the warehouse, I’ll lease floor space from the company. She and I will get the profit from the sale of goods after all charges are taken out. Other business concerns may want to lease space as well. The furs from this winter’s trapping would be a thought.

“Sounds fair enough.”

“Okay, we are all agreed that his is a good move?” Everyone was. 

Berta wasn’t that taken with the idea of borrowing to buy goods and she let me know as soon as we were alone. “Brady, do we really want to go into debt. You have to think about this baby bump in my belly.”

“That’s what I am doing. We personally have a healthy bank account and I think I can find other people who will invest in it.”

“Like who, Brady?”

“Like Addie and Little Eva. They have money after we ran Aden Parks out of town. Paddy wants to get the women away from that section of town. He doesn’t like it that the two women are still thought of as whores. He is thinking of marrying Addie.”

“I thought it would be Eva he’d climb into bed with.”

“No, Paddy thinks of her as his daughter. I guess she is much like the little girl of his who died and she thinks of him as not only her savior but I guess he is some like her father in the way he treats her. Paddy is trying to convince the two to sell out the bar and house. Neither are working girls any more.

“They have some plans, but I don’t know what it is. They should be able to find something. They have almost as much money as we had when we came down out of the mountains with our packs full of fur. At least they aren’t blowing it like you felt I was going to when I sat in on a poker game.”

“Brady, I’ll admit I was some worried. We worked so hard for the furs. You can’t blame me can you?”

“Nope, I’m just teasing you. We have really made something of ourselves, haven’t we?”

Chapter Six

It turned out to be an open winter. We had no time to sit by the fire. Charlie and Pete pushed things along and the timbers were dressed out and moved to the warehouse. The floor of the warehouse at loading dock level was the first portion to be constructed. Soon the shell of the building was being put together and we could say we had a warehouse. Canvas was our major expense, but it was something that could be used over and over again and later sold as used.

The warehouse floor was built and we were using it for storage already, loading goods onto it when we could find something that we could sell. It was covered with canvas. The frame for the warehouse was being worked on right on site. Logs were brought in and hewn into shape and as soon as a section was finished they were raised and covered with canvas.

By the first of February, we had the frame up and the roof on. Charlie put the crew to work riving shakes. Not only that, she wanted the roof tight so she set up a foot clamp so the billet could be held so one side of the shake could be smoothed with a draw shave. There was a four inch section on the other side smoothed as well to take care of the overlap. With the wood being cedar, this should last for fifty years.

The frame was enough off the ground so it could be excavated under and cement poured for a good solid foundation later on in good weather. When this was finished, then the siding could be nailed on. Sarah thought this way constructing the building was rushing it too fast, but Charley pointed out that the freight crew she was using would be out hauling freight come spring.

———————————

Hank approached me one day, “Brady, I met Alex Majors of the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company today. You must know they have the mail contract carrying mail by stagecoach?  Majors, has a plan for getting mail through to California in ten to twelve days from St. Jo.”

“Hank, I have heard that, but I don’t see how. Why?”

“Well there’s some fact to it. He was out to the ranch looking for horses. He said I was small enough to be a rider. He wanted to know if I could ride.”

“Christ, Hank, you’re too young. You ain’t been fourteen long.”

“Don’t matter. The boys were telling him about me and the mule race we had a bit ago. Majors’ outfit is going forward with riders moving mail by horseback. They’re setting up stations already. The stations are about ten miles apart. You pick up the mail, hit the saddle, take off at a gallop and go ten miles. They are going to give you a horn to blow before you git there so the next station will know to git another horse saddled and ready for you. You pile off that the horse and onto another and take off.

“The distance a rider goes depends on the terrain. You ride from 70 to 100 miles When you git to where the next rider is, you pile off and hand the mail pouch to him and lay over until you pickup mail coming from the other direction. Then you make the same trip only coming the other way back to your home station.”

I thought about this before commenting. “Maybe it’ll work. They are a big outfit and have hundreds of men and oxen working for them. They do have numerous mail contracts for delivery of mail. Nothing like this or as fast. What are they calling this operation?”

“I think they are going to settle on the Pony Express. The mounts they will be using aren’t much bigger than ponies and generally fourteen-and-a-half-hands high. These are picked for their stamina and speed. They have already got three hundred head lined up and they want four hundred. They’re hiring riders even younger than me. I’d like to give it a whirl.”

“There’s Indians out there you know?”

“I know Brady, but I can carry a gun. Do you think Berta will let me have one of her pistols?”

“Maybe. You talked to Charley and Harry about this yet?”

“Nope, but if you think I can handle it and if you tell them I can, they will let me. The pay is $100 a month. It would give me a good stake.”

“How many riders are they hiring?”

“120 men is what Mr. Majors said. ’Course there’s a lot more men involved. Each swing and home station has a stock tender and assistant and there are smiths to tend to the horses feet to make sure the horses are shod with well fitting shoes. The horses are as important as the rider riding them because they are always at a gallop. Some of the home stations have one or two attendants because they are combined with stages and the slower mail coaches.

“The stations in the unsettled parts of the route are going to be pretty lonely. There are also the Indians to worry about. The Pauites in Nevada are especially worrisome. I guess Mr. Majors and his two partners have given this a lot of thought.”

“I can put in a word for you with Charley, but it really is up to your Uncle Harry.”

“Not hardly. We all do what Charley says. You know that.”

“I guess I do. Did Majors, say why all this is happening?”

“Something about war may be coming and the government doesn’t want to lose California to the slavery faction. Brady, what’s a faction?”

“A group of people that believe in one thing different than another group. What else did Majors have to say?”

“Something about getting the government contract to handle all the mail west of St. Jo. He figures if this is a success then he and his partners will have it locked in.”

“They might at that, but you never can tell. Eventually there will be a telegraph all the way to California and not many years from now there will be a railroad going through the middle of the country and on to the west coast. We’re going to see some big changes in our life time.”

Rumors flew about what was being proposed and the results did come together. Hank was hired and he found he was nowhere near the youngest rider, but there were few that were smaller than he. Some were as young as eleven. Hank’s small stature was what the company was looking for. Also he was strong and could handle the mounts with ease.

Hank, his clothes and equipment, the saddle, and the mail pouch, was fifteen pounds less than the 165 that the horse was to carry.  The .36 cal Paterson pistol and the special made holster he got from me weighed in at two pounds, 12 oz. He also carried a knife. Mail began to move on April 3, 1860.

Hank was assigned the route west of Casper, Wyoming along the Sweetwater River for 73 miles. This was a well traveled route since it had carried settlers to the California gold fields the decade before. It was still traveled extensively by people following their dreams west, looking for homes in the gentler climes along the Pacific coast. The horn he carried was to not only get the attention of the way station attendant but to warn travelers to clear out of the way, as he galloped through.

Day and night the express riders galloped. After ten or more hours in the saddle Hank would layover for thirty some odd hours and then be on his way for another ten hour gallop. It took only two minutes or less to dismount from one horse and be on his way atop of a different mount, returning to his original home station. He might be on as many as seven to nine different horses in each direction. It would depend on how far apart the stations were and the terrain between.

Hank’s home station was a little over two hundred miles from the Crossing, and was a regular stage stop that fed travelers.  Hank’s food should be better than at places in the mountains or in the desert. He was strutting just a little up until it was time for him to leave. He and Charley clung together and both had misty eyes when they pulled apart.

“Charley, don’t you worry about me. I’m strong and able. I’ll be safe. Brady gave me a Paterson for protection. I’ll be straddling good fast horses. They tell me this job won’t last but a couple of years. What a chance for me to pile up a little bit of money. All the country is waiting on is for the telegraph to reach across the country and then there won’t be the need. I’ll be home before you know it. I’m going to save every bit of it and then I’ll be set for life.”

“Hank, you’re brave just like Pa and Ma were to strike out trying to make a better life for us. Brady has freighters going up in that country and we’ll be in touch.” We watched Hank leave with a bunch of other riders heading over the trail. He would drop off as they came to their station and when it was Hank’s station coming up, the others would continue on. Fourteen years old and weighing not much over a hundred pounds. What an experience!

———————————————

The War Between the States was coming and this increased our goods being shipped with our wagons. If there was freight for the military, it was always escorted by troopers. If attacked, the freighters were rarely bothered. The Republican administration worried about the territories coming under the flag of the secessionist southern states. There were hot debates going on in the towns and fledgling communities about which side should prevail. Whenever two men got together there was apt to be discussion about the coming conflict.

To the east and south of us in Kansas and Missouri, guerrilla warfare was taking a terrible toll on the populace, but we were relatively peaceful. I won’t say we were untouched, but mostly it was business as usual.

More and more talk was about a railroad being built to cross the continent, but we knew it would be years before we would see it completed. More to the point, the telegraph was advancing toward us. California already belonged to the Union as a free state. Information was needed to travel far and fast, hence the Pony Express.

We at the Royal Flush yard had other thoughts on our mind. Robert Boyd came into the world near the end of March. He was a fine, healthy boy with a great pair of lungs. Was he spoiled? You bet! That changed soon with all the attention he received. He got used to having other people around soon enough and the minute there was a stranger in the house, I swear he started showing off, by gurgling and kicking his feet.

I came home from our office at the livery stable. “Brady, I had company today. Addie and Little Eva came to see Robby. Addie has had an offer on the place she bought from Parks when you men ran him out of town. She wondered if there was any land for sale out here near the freight yard. I think she wants a piece of the land we bought.”

“Well she isn’t getting any. Anything extra we have is across the creek and we may need it ourselves if we get any bigger. Besides that, do we want two unattached women out here?”

“Addie is soon to be Paddy’s wife so that just leaves Little Eva. Have you looked at her lately?”

“Nope, haven’t laid eyes on her.”

“Look at her the next time you see her. She is so cute and pretty. Boy if that Aden Park had been smart and treated her right she would have been a goldmine for him. She’s young, but that’s what he was charging for her by being so youthful.”

“She’s trouble then. How old is she?”

“Six months younger than Charley. Remember, when Eva stayed with Charley for a few weeks? She moved out of her own accord and back with Addie because she knew she was cramping Charley and Pete. I think she is intelligent too.”

“What’s this leading up too?”

Berta giggled, and then asked, “What do you mean?”

“Berta, I’ve known you for a year and a half. Six months of that was alone in a cave. I know something is up when you start throwing out comments.”

“I guess you do. Brady. Eva wants to invest her money. You said one time that we should borrow to buy stock of our own for the warehouse and I disagreed with you. I’ve changed my mind.”

“Continue, Berta. If you haven’t got this thought out yet then think out loud and I’ll listen.”

“Paddy doesn’t like living in town. He wants to get back to freighting and you’ll be putting on more men. He does want Addie close by where he works. Would you look for a piece of land she can buy?”

“I can do that. The town is moving in this direction and we are a couple miles from town. I’ll talk to George Cosgood to see if he thinks any of the land between here and town could be bought.”

“Good.”

“How much land is she looking for?”

“Enough for a small house, a garden, and a small diner where she can do some baking.”

“What does she want to have a diner way out here for? Where would the customers come from?”

“She has to have something to do and she wants to get out of town where she is not so well known. She isn’t going to have a big menu. Just stew, coffee and donuts. She wants to concentrate on baking bread, donuts and cake to sell. Addie thinks Eva can dress up pretty and go around town peddling these things.” 

“People will remember Eva was a whore.”

“Not if she comports herself correctly. There is going to be a lot of trail traffic this year and she thinks those who pass by will want to buy what they don’t have time to bake. I have tasted some of what Addie will be baking. It is a lot better than I can make.”

“Maybe I ought to sample some of her bread?”

“I thought you would. She has ordered three sizes of loaf pans consisting of a half pound, a pound and a two pound size. The smaller ones are crusty and yet chewy on the inside. She said she can bake bread loaves without a tin to match what would be baked in a fireplace or Dutch oven. Of course everyone likes donuts.

“She thought she would start doing this where she lives now and ordered the tins from the smith, but decided she wanted a place where she could expand. She has already put an order in for a large range.”

“That’s going to take a lot of wood.”

“No it won’t. They discovered coal north of here back in ’43. Since then there has been other discoveries not too far away.”

“I knew that. I just forgot about cooking with it. Maybe we should look into using it.” Berta brought me one of the smaller loaves. I pulled it apart and took a bite. This was better than mother baked and I had dreamed about her bread since I left home. “Maybe she has something with this idea. I’ll see George Cosgood tomorrow about the land.”

The price of land had increased dramatically in the last year. Berta and I had bought 40 acres of land for five dollars an acre. The owner of the property that was next to the yard on the town side wanted $50 acre. Addie ended up buying two acres for $85.00. Charley talked to Addie and Eva finding out what they would need for buildings. Charley even got them started on building the bakery. With the promise of what was to come, the freighters if not out on the road, helped to put things up in a hurry.

———————————

Hank came home in August of ’62 when the Pony Express ceased operating. He was still small, but was more compact. He regaled us of his exploits. He had a confidence about him of a man in his twenties, but here he was only sixteen. I had seen him a couple of times in the last eighteen months. Additionally, I had missed seeing him as many times. Whenever we had a freight load to deliver near his station, I was on the wagon. I never knew if I would be seeing him for it was a toss-up of him being on layover at the opposite end of his route.

Hank was some surprised at the commercial growth that had occurred while he was gone. The world was changing fast. There was a war going on in the East and this made a shortage of supplies and equipment. We did manage to keep our warehouse filled with items that I knew we could sell. We began another, larger warehouse, worried some if the war dragged on, whether we could buy goods to fill it. I had engaged a goods buyer and had him headquartered in one of the small towns along the Missouri River.

We were still on the list of freighters that the Army used to haul supplies for their forts. There wasn’t much profit in this, but we made up for that by usually doubling our money for the items we sold out of our warehouses. We also leased space in Denver.

———————————

Hank approached me, “Brady, do you have anything for me to do? Tell the truth, I don’t know what I want to do with my life. The telegraph is in across the country. The company needs men to patrol along the line and to operate their stations. I don’t know as I want to do something like that. It’s pretty lonely riding or sitting at a desk all day. Charley wants me to partner up with her and Pete now that they are running that construction outfit they bought from Branch Biggers. She’s talking about starting a family.”

“Hang around for awhile, something will turn up. Grab a bunk and get a seat at the table. That way you won’t be spending your money.”

“Thanks, Brady, I will.” I knew Hank was a hard worker and would at least earn his bed and food giving a hand when needed or just to help out around the stock. He couldn’t sit by and let others do all the work. He was around for a few days and then went out to the ranch where we kept our stock. After he was out there a couple of weeks, he came in and said he and the men had set up a target shoot. Some of the men claimed to be fast as well as accurate. He thought he might try both.

“Maybe I can earn some pocket change.”

“I take it you’ve been practicing?”

“Yeah, a might. Nothing to do while I was waiting on my time to mount up and carry the mail.”

“Are you any good?”

“I don’no, but I don’t think you would lose much if you put five dollars on me to win.”

“When’s the shoot?”

“This Sunday. A lot of men are signed up so we’ll begin at nine in the morning.”

“I’ll be there. It’ll be okay if I bring Berta won’t it?”

“Sure, I’m giving back the Paterson you lent me and I’m ashamed I haven’t before this. I know Berta can handle a gun, so if she wants to try her hand at it she might practice up this week. There are three other woman signed up. They won’t be competing against the men, but against each other.”

“What are you using for a weapon?”

“I bought a .36 caliber Remington. I needed a little heavier one riding like I was. Didn’t need it once, but it was there. I bought a spare cylinder for the gun, and can exchange cylinders when riding if I need more than six shots.

I talked to Berta and she remembered going out to ranch and to a horse race two years ago and what fun that was. She was excited and before I knew it, she left Robby with Sarah and she was banging away out behind our house.

“Brady, are you shooting? You used to be pretty good.”

“No Berta, people might remember I killed a man when I first came here. Someone might want to try me for real.”

"Brady, good thinking. Maybe I shouldn’t either, they might remember I did too.” 

“Yes, you should. It’ll give you something to think about and I doubt anyone would challenge you. Hey, I wanted to ask you. You know with the telegraph in, you might send your uncle a wire, letting him know why you and Felix didn’t arrive like you said you were going to. If the government ever gets the trains running cross country, we might just travel out to see him. If we should go, part of the way will have to be by ship. I haven’t seen the Atlantic and I’d like to see the Pacific, just to say I had seen an ocean.”

“Brady, they probably don’t have a telegraph where he lives.”

“They’ll know in the office up at Laramie whether the telegraph will deliver in that area. They’ve had the telegraph on the west coast for awhile now. I’ll check the next time I’m up there. We also could send a letter. It will take a long time to get there and back, though.”

“I think I’ll write anyway. We’ll send a telegram too, if you think it would reach him.”

“No time like the present. Ask him in your letter what his farm is like. How successful he is might determine if we want to visit someday.”

“I’m not going to travel that far.”

"Don’t say never. Remember, there is a corporation that has been formed to begin building a railroad across the country. It won’t be many years before we can get on a train and travel to either coast if we want to. I would imagine the war will be over by then.”

“How long before a railroad is finished, do you think?”

“Berta, within ten years, for sure. There are railroads everywhere in the east already.”

“How are they going to build railroads through the mountains?”

“I don’t know, Berta, but they will find a way.” I was still thinking about the gun shoot on Sunday. “So are you going to shoot?”

“No, I’m not, but I would like to watch it.”

“We’ll go. Hey, did that mule ever race again? I’ve forgotten all about him with Hank not being here to ride him.”

“He has raced some, Brady, but there hasn’t been anyone to sit on him. Hank has been exercising him since he got back. Maybe they could get a couple of races in before cold weather.”

“I hope so. Hank has had a lot more experience in a saddle in the last two years.”

Sunday came and we rode out to the ranch where the extra stock was held. There was a crowd of people. All of the freighters were there that weren’t out on the trails. This shoot was for both rifle and pistol. Hank said. “Brady, I’m going to be entering in several of these contests. I expect I’ll be doing pretty good with my pistol. If you are going to lay any money on me, wait until the mounted shooting starts.”

“You’re good at that?”

“I think I’m damned good. I’ve done a lot of practicing. I want to win something to pay for all the powder I burnt up. I never had to use the skill in the eighteen months I was riding. Maybe it will pay off now.”

Hank entered several of the pistol contests and did come in second in one and third in another. We felt good for him because this was all free-hand shooting. He was drawing and firing. This showed how fast as well as accurate he was.  He didn’t enter any of the rifle contests. “I think I’m about average in those, but haven’t practiced that much. I didn’t have a rifle to shoot with because we didn’t carry that while riding express.” It came time to ride and shoot.

There were two contests to shoot from while on a horse. One was a pendulum where you had to shoot at it swinging while riding at a gallop. To win you had four charges in your gun. When your gun was empty, the target stopped and the number of times you hit it were counted. There were three tries for those men who got at least one hit in the first round and two hits in the second. You also could be disbarred if it was determined that your horse wasn’t riding at a fast enough gait.

The other contest was shooting at rabbits. Rabbits had been caught and two released for the contestant to shoot. The man that released them was behind a barrier and he had a dog that would bark on command. This would scare the rabbits and they would run like hell. It was pretty hilarious because none of the rabbits ran in a straight line, weaving and bobbing, in two different directions.

Here too, the men had to adhere to when they could begin firing and they had four minutes to shoot their two rabbits while maintaining their mount at a gallop.

One rabbit dodged around the barrier and got into the crowd of bystanders. A man scooped it up and told his young daughter she could have it for a pet if she could find something to put it in. The girl went and begged one of the cages that the rabbits had arrived in.

Hank won both contests, shooting from a horse. At the end of the meet it was decided to have a horse race the following Sunday.

Berta sent off a letter to her uncle and I had chased down the village he lived in and it had a telegraph station as close as twenty miles. Berta sent off a cryptic wire that she was alive and Felix was dead and to expect a letter. She received a wire back saying her uncle would write her. Berta was excited to think she still had a relative and she began writing a letter every month.

That evening Berta came and sat in a chair next to me. “Brady, Robby will be two-and-a-half years old when he has a sister or brother. Are you okay with that?”

“Absolutely. We wanted a large family, didn’t we?”

“Yes, but Brady, I haven’t been able to help you much lately with the business. I always thought I would stand beside you as your partner like it was when we were up in the mountains trapping three years ago.”

“You still are. This was our plan. Look sweetheart, we have put together a business that is well run. We are well respected and although we are both from the lower class, we have come to climb that peak so now everyone knows it. I’d say we have come a long way. You have contributed in so many ways.”

“Brady, you make me feel so good.”

“It’ll get better in our lifetime. The President signed a bill causing a railroad to be built across the country, starting at the Missouri river so it isn’t just talk any more. I’m surprised he took the time to promote it like he has, what with war breaking out and everything.”

“What’s that going to do to the Indians?”

“Berta, it will be another reason for them to fight the white man for encroaching on their lands. I understand there have been several surveying crews attacked already. The army will be busy on escort duty. I’m going to issue guns to all our men. You know there will be recruiters from both sides in the area. I think our men, if they go to fight, will fight for the north.”

“Brady, not all of them. Jeff and Emery will go for the south if they go at all.”

“You know if this war goes on for a long time we are going to be short of help.”

“Brady, we’ll make do. We’ll up the pay a little and there are men somewhere that can handle a mule team even if they are old. I could handle a team if I had someone to show me how.”

“You can’t, you are incubating babies.”

“Brady, you know what I mean? It’s war time. Someday, when our men go to war, the women of the country will fill the jobs until their men get home. You see Mormon men and women side by side pulling carts.”

I snickered, “Most usually two women and both of them the man’s wives.”

“Would you like to have two wives?”

“No, not at all. I love you and I know you love me. I know it would hurt you if I said you had to share my love with another woman. I won’t ever knowingly hurt you.”

“Brady Boyd, you’re making me cry.”

“Let’s go inside, I want to hold you.”

—————————

Hank Horshack, small in stature, came and went as his fancy took him. He came in to see his sister, Charley and his uncle, Harry, a year after he was let go by the Pony Express. I was there. “Brady and Berta, you have been family for a few years now. Sis and Uncle seem to have made a home for themselves with you, but I guess I’ve got the wandering spirit and I’ve decided to head out for California.

“The two men up from Texas that taught me how to ride and rope are thinking of leaving and I’m going with them. They tell me there are a lot of cattle in California and I want to look them over. The reason they want me with them is the gun I carry on my hip. We’ll be going through a lot of unsettled country and they think three men can make it where two can’t.

“Charley, I’m leaving $100 with you. Use it as your own. I’m taking the rest of what I earned riding for the Express with me. Maybe I can find a bit of land or something and start a life of my own and I’ll make sure it isn’t as cold as it is here. I’ll let you know where I end up, but it won’t be too soon. Brady, you never should have put me on your horse that time you found me.”

He mounted his horse and had one thing more to say, “I’ll miss you guys and if your thoughts turn to me at times, think well of me.” Charley walked up to his stirrup with tears in her eyes. He still didn’t make a very big pile on the horse. She reached up and grasped his hand, kissing the back of it. Then turned to Pete and buried her head in his chest. Hank, looked at her a minute and then dug his heels in and rode off down the trail where he was meeting the other two men. None of us expected we would ever see him again.

——————————————

By 1863 nine men who worked for our freight company left for the fighting.  Seven went for the Union and two went for the South. All were younger than thirty-years. Both men that fought for the South never returned and we knew of two who fought for the Union was killed during a skirmish somewhere In Maryland. One man, we never did hear what happened to him. Four of the nine returned and took up the reins as if they never left.

With the war over, we now had to deal with the Indians and the building of the railroad. This was tied in closely together. I lost two men in 1866 when a bunch of Indians held them up demanding food. The men didn’t think the men would fight and told the Indians to get lost. I lost four mules, finding one of the butchered animals less than a mile from where the two men were massacred.

 Soon Cheyenne became a railroad town. It was wild and it was always a worry when the women had to be in town. The town offered delights that attracted first the surveyors and later on those that were preparing the roadbed. We were close to where the two railroad construction crews were going to meet.

The army had its problems. In 1866 there was the Fetterman Massacre of 80 soldiers where Red Cloud and Crazy Horse had planned revenge for the massacre of 200 Cheyenne at Sand Creek two years earlier by the Colorado Militia. Colonel Phil Kearney had built a fort in Wyoming and it was being harassed continually. As the railroad tracks were advancing toward Promontory Point in Utah, the Indians saw their hunting lands destroyed and made forays against everything white.

Coal was being mined in the Laramie Mountains and I had a contract to move some of it. This was a small independent mine that didn’t have any contracts with the Railroad, but coal was now commonly used in cook and heating stoves. I was receiving offers to sell my contract to some of the major carriers.  Other than an occasional Indian beggar, my freighters were mostly left alone by the Indians. I knew this could change at any time.

Berta feared for my men, and yes for me too, when I had to leave town to estimate a job. Our two warehouses were kept full of bulk goods and we sold at wholesale.  Often the next day they would be empty of goods but always we had wagons on the road to replace what we sold. Charley, Berta and I were in on the ground floor seeing the need and had acted on it at the right time.

I wouldn’t say that we were particularly happy being so busy, but the money was piling up in the bank. Finally in the months before the railroad met to make cross country travel possible, we resisted several lucrative possible sidelines we could expand into.

——————————————

I began living in the past, often remembering the winter where Berta and I  had come together up in the cave where we had fallen in love. Berta relived the time she had collected from the store owner by stepping out and offered to brace him in the street with her gun if he didn’t pay what was owed. Of how I had met Frachette in the street and how she had so much faith in me that she didn’t worry but that I would win the shootout.

We had three kids now and it was time to decide whether to have one more. Berta broke in on my memories. “Brady, Brenda is two and what do you think? Betty is six and Robert is nine. I wouldn’t mind, but the world is going to change when the railroad hooks together in May and I don’t know if that is going to be a good thing or not.”

“I know what you are saying. There is and a lot unease in my mind. We have money in the bank and more coming in and more isn’t going to make us any happier. Let’s wait another year before we plan another child. Can I ask for another boy if we do?”

Berta grinned, “So far I’ve given you what you have asked for.”

“Yes and we are relatively young too. I’m only thirty-six and you have a few more years to give me another boy if we decide on it. I think at sixty Jack is getting tired of being manager and that’s something to think about too. Sarah still enjoys working every day. She comments often how my shooting her husband set her free.”
——————————————

“Brady, you’ve been acting a little strange the last couple of days. Is there anything I should know about? You mentioned Sarah …?”

“Sarah’s only involved slightly, but not for the reason you’re jealous of. I don’t forget just how happy we’ve been and how we’ve always been partners.” I paused, and then continued, “I’ve been contacted by a syndicate about us selling the freight company, the ware houses, the land, both here and the ranch where the spare stock is held.  It would include all the contracts and the clients we have. The rolling stock, and the animals, except those that are our personal mounts.

“There has been no money mentioned yet. I told the man that I would have to meet with my partners. He didn’t realize others were involved. I’ve been mulling it over and have decided maybe we should listen to his offer.”

“What would we do if we sold out?”

“There is that land you got from your uncle’s estate in Oregon.”

“No, I’m too old to begin farming, and I don’t know as the weather is any better there than here. I think we should sell it. I’m sorry I never got to see my uncle.  He so wanted to see me. I did write to him often keeping him up on my life. Before he died, he stopped urging me knowing I had young children and all. I’ll have the attorney sell the property and then I won’t have to think about Oregon any more.”

“I agree. It isn’t anything I’m interested in either. From the letters you got from him before he died, Oregon sounded too wet and cold for me. It killed him, according to the lawyer who wrote about him coughing to death. I wonder if Hank Horshack is still alive.  It is about time he wrote to Charley again. He mentioned some big land grant he was living on. That was a couple of years ago.”

“Hank never learned to write very well. He has to struggle at it and that’s why he doesn’t send letters. When are you going to meet with Jack, Sarah, Charley and Pete about the offer?”

“In a couple of days. I want to think on it a little longer. I told the syndicate man it would be a week before we talked again.”

“Come to bed, Brady, the kids are down for the night and we’ll discuss this some more.”

“I don’t know; you know what happens when we get into bed. We don’t get to discuss things until the next morning.”

“I should be safe. I’ve never been caught at this time in my cycle. It’ll be fun.”

I had a meeting of us six partners in the office of one of the warehouses. I talked first about our client base. Next, I questioned all about what they thought the future was going to be like with us soon able to draw goods from both sides of the country. The one unknown was what the Indians situation was going to be.  We were in agreement it would get worse rather than better. The Army is going to have to kill a lot of them, before they ever give up.

This is when I announced that there was a syndicate that had contacted me about purchasing the freight line and all that was connected with it. “Jack, what would you do if we sold?”

Jack spoke up immediately, “I’d head for a warmer climate. I might buy a small town bar. One where I wasn’t that busy and I’d sit around and shoot the bull.”

“What about you Sarah?”

“I’d sit around and listen to Jack’s bullshit and keep the place looking topnotch. I could tend bar as well as him and when the sundown comes, I’d take him to bed and cuddle with him.”

“Sarah!”

“Jack, I’d do anything to make you happy.”

Jack grinned, “Well if Sarah is going to talk like that, I just have to say, I ain’t dead yet and I know what it takes to make her happy.”

“Jack!” We were all laughing, by this time.

I asked Charley, “What about you and Pete? You own 20% of the business and that should set you up pretty well. I suspect we all have a bit of money in the bank as well.”

“We do. I think the first thing I’d do is to see if I can find my brother. Uncle Harry was talking about him the other day.”

“That’s funny, I was thinking it is about time you had a letter from him.”

“You miss him too, don’t you Brady?”

“Yeah. He never said how big that land grant was where he was working did he?”

“He did, but I don’t know what it means. It must be a lot. He said it was something about some leagues. Would you know?”

“Let me think. I know that is a measure of distance, but I guess it could be a measure of land too. I read about it years ago when I was back in Ohio. Land grants in some countries were often given out or bought in that measure. Don’t we have a book with measures in it? I thought we had one because I looked up ‘tonnage’ one time.”

Berta spoke up. “I’ll get it. It’s over in the other warehouse.”

“Well don’t bother now. We’ll look later. Has anyone any idea what our outfit is worth in total? That would include all the barns, here and at the ranch. All the mules, Berta’s new house would go. Charley, your house is the best looking one, although smaller than ours. Sarah’s is pretty neat as well. How many wagons do we have?  I think we should physically inventory everything. There’s the business name as well. We’ve been in business for a little over ten years.  It’ll be eleven in June.”

Jack began chuckling, “That was some poker game wasn’t it. That’s still one for the history books. Two straight flush hands in one game. Let’s see, I figured the business was worth $3,900 at the time. I guess it is worth more now.”

“Yes, and it is ten times bigger, but remember Sarah contributed quite a lot too. We’ve got a hundred and twenty harnesses for the mules. I want everything listed and we’ll figure on the replacement value and begin from there. Oh, don’t forget we own the business that Addie and Eva started which we’ve been leasing out since they left.”

Sarah commented, “I suppose that wouldn’t have to go with the freight line. I haven’t heard from Paddy and Addie lately. The people who are running it now for us may want to purchase it.  I got a note from Eva a couple of days ago. That’s another one for the books the way she got her man. Who’d a thought that a Denver mine owner would be so taken with a little woman who was peddling bread and doughnuts from a wagon would follow her here to the bakery.”

“Charley, did Eva ever tell Freeman what she was, a short three years before he met her?”

“She did, Sarah. He said it didn’t make any difference to him. She asked me to be present when she told him. She made him promise he would never bring her back to Cheyenne where she was a dove. That’s why we never see her. She’s one of the lucky ones, but she sure paid her dues for awhile.”

Berta and I were alone in the office after the others left. “How much do you think we can get for the business, Brady?”

“I have no idea. Maybe I’ll go see George Cosgood and ask him. He’s made enough loans on property and businesses to hazard a guess.  Some of it is how bad this syndicate wants it. Are you going to miss running it, Berta?”

“Not really. I have the kids to take up my time.  I have been worried about the town being so overrun by all these railroad people. Freighting isn’t anywhere near as safe as it was either. There just seem so many things to worry about.”

“I know.”

All of us went about taking stock of what the business owned. There were pages and pages of items listed. We listed all of the real property owned here in the yard by the partners or other land we held title to. None of us mentioned what we personally held as cash in the bank. We kept track of our business cash balance. We really hadn’t said we would be staying together if we sold out, but it was a given.

Charley’s uncle, Harry, said he would go along with his niece if she left the area.  Tom said he, Harry, and Pete had been together now for more than sixteen years and he was too old to set out making new friends.

One of the last things I did was to list what we had for contracts to move goods, and also an estimated forward looking probability of future contracts.  This I backed up with past growth figures. This opened my eyes to the fact that ours was an extremely profitable business. I asked myself; why would we want to sell at this time.

The easy answer to that was because the army needed to build more and more posts to keep the Indians from driving out the settlers. It settled into my mind that it was a good enough reason. I mentioned it to Berta. “I came to that conclusion some time ago. Having a family makes you think of things like this.”

———————————

It took more than a week to get our figures together. Before we went to George Cosgood, we had a tentative price. It sure sounded like a lot of money and we didn’t think it would fly and between us we would settle for a lot less. I had several meetings with George Cosgood; trying to figure out what price we would set on our holdings and the business. He examined the inventory and raised the figure by 30%. I declared I wouldn’t dare to ask so much. “George, would you negotiate for us?”

“Sure, the syndicate won’t be trading with my bank. I’ll charge you $1,000 if I beat your figures by at least $10,000. Otherwise I’ll do it for the fun of it. Yours has been my largest account for years and I have made money off you. I may just retire and go wherever you choose to end up. We’ve been so closely associated you are like family to me.”

“You would be welcome to be with us wherever it is.”

We had to put this off another week until the fifteenth of May because of the wild time that was taking place with the driving of the last spike to the west of us. The front man for the syndicate wouldn’t let us put it off longer than this. George said to me, “I think I’ll raise our price another $10,000. They sure want this business. I don’t know why.”

“Alright George, who do you want with you when we meet?”

“Just you and Jack, I think. Now, absolutely neither of you show any emotion at all. That’s especially aimed at you Jack. You’re not a very good poker player and Brady is.”

“Brady, how did you know that I had a good hand when you bought this freight line? It’s going out of our hands and you can tell me?”

“Simple, Jack, you have a tell. You breathe in through your nose. The better your hand is the more you suck in wind and hold it until the next card or bid is placed. You sucked in so much wind I was afraid you would explode. Sorry about that.”

“Brady, I’m not. It is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Cosgood’s bank tended to be conservative. It was the next morning that we met in the other bank up the street. It was a new brick building and a lot had been spent on fine paneling and had polished brass rails around each counter. We went into an office that was made available to the syndicate man to use. He sat at the desk. “Well, we’re finally getting this settled. I was hoping to get this done before the railroad began daily trips but I guess it doesn’t make that much difference. So what are you asking?”

George introduced himself with his title and the syndicate man said he was a representative of the syndicate, Randal Polk. George said, “The owners of Royal Flush Freight line has asked me to negotiate for them. Are you aware of all the land and holdings that the company owns?”

“I believe we are. Do you have a listing? I’ll glance at it.”

I handed some sheets to George and he passed them over. It took more than a few minutes. “You’ve got three dwellings and a restaurant listed. Those go with the property?”

“It’s all or nothing. Don’t forget the two warehouses that are used to hold and sell at wholesale goods out of.”

“Jesus, there is a lot more here than I had an idea of. Do you have a full listing? I was talking to some of your freighters, but they didn’t say anything about these other things. Do you have time to take me where I can see the dwellings and the warehouses? I’ll look over the list of the equipment this afternoon. This is good because I’ll know what we have to hit the road running. Some of the syndicate will have a place to move into, which is good too.”

George used a buggy and he had the horse hitched at the post in front of the bank. When George got as far as Addie’s restaurant, we all stopped for coffee. A fresh, small loaf of bread was set on the table with a tub of butter. Randal ate most of it. “Say, where did the name of the freight line come from? It’s kind of odd.”

Jack spoke up, “I owned the freight outfit and lost it playing poker with Brady the first night he was in town. There were two straight flush hands in the game. He held a royal straight flush in Clubs and I held a straight flush in Diamonds. His royal cards clubbed the hell out of me. A little later he hired me to manage the freight line, and not much later he made me a partner.”

We drove into the yard and to my house, only two years old was setting where the old one had been. Jack and Sarah had built one across the creek and not far from there, Charley and Pete had put up a new one.

George and Randal didn’t get out. We rode to the other side of the big hay barn and this was near the old trail which had become a road just from the amount traffic going by.  The two warehouses were busy with wagons being unloaded into one and three different smaller wagons being loaded from the larger one.

Jack had seen to it that the yard and grounds were neat and orderly. I had a pang of regret for a few minutes. This was an outfit to be proud of. But, when the telegraph was installed in town, it gave us a quick access to being able to order supplies which gave us the ability to have our clients satisfied in weeks instead of months. Now with the railroad, we could order by telegraph and our orders would be on the way within days.

Randal, said, “I’ll get back to town and go over what you have included in the sale. I should have done this long ago. We in the Syndicate have never been in a business like this before. Two of the members are here in town and I’ll meet with them this evening. The one partner that will be managing this and has the experience will be in on the train tomorrow. Say we meet at 2 o’clock tomorrow at the bank. We’ll make an offer at that time. How do you two manage the whole operation?”

I answered this, “There are more than two of us. My wife, Berta and I, are the major stock holders and we do all the estimating. I’m the one who is outside of town, while Berta takes care of the town business. Jack manages the yard and the crews. Sarah, his wife, is the one who does what is needed to do the freighting. She actually has the most experience in the freighting business, arriving here with her father years before Berta and I came down from trapping up in Montana.

“There is another young couple who have shares in the business. They saw to building the warehouses and then took over managing the inventory that goes in and out of them.”

“Can you have them at the bank with you to answer questions? We may want to engage them.”

“You can try, but I think we all want to make a clean break and head for someplace warmer. We’re thinking California.”

“That’s good. We were going to ask you to sign a non-compete clause.”

“We would have signed it gladly even if we were staying in this area.”

“I’ll see you all at the bank tomorrow then. Maybe you can elaborate on how you and your wife got together. I picked up on that you were trapping up in Montana.” George chirped to buggy horse as they drove along.

We walked our mounts into the yard. Looking across the creek, we could see a livery stable horse hitched by Charley’s front door. Jack said to himself, “I wonder who is visiting.”

I answered that I didn’t know.  Just then, Sarah opened the door and motioned to us. We splashed through the creek. “Hank is here. He came in on the train from California. He needs some money to save the land grant where he is living. Come in; Berta, Pete, and Harry are here too.”

We crowded by Charley into her living area where across the room stood Hank.  He was still a small person, standing ramrod straight. He was clean shaven except for a well trimmed moustache. The clothes he wore were well cut and of good quality. He had a bright neckerchief which not many men wore and only just for dress. The coat looked to be of finely tanned leather. His shirt appeared to be of a material that some woman would be proud to wear.

Most conspicuous was the nickel plated pistol in the silver-chased holster slightly forward on his hip.

“Brady, and Jack, it’s been a long time. What a change there is around here. Everyone is rushing around, never slowing down. It is awful noisy too. I hate to say this, but I will have to leave by tomorrow night. Can we sit down so I can tell you how desperate I am to raise some money to save the large land grant I’m interested in?  I have to tell you it means the end of my happiness if I can’t.”

Charley said, “It’s a woman isn’t it?”

“Her name is Elena de Castillo and she is the finest thing that ever happened to me. She has been promised to me if I can save her father’s land grant. It is well worth it because it comes to her since she is her father’s only heir. I wish all of you would come out and help me run the place. It needs more management than I’m capable of. It is big enough to make us all rich.”

“I said, “Tell us about it.”

“This was a land grant given by the Spanish King centuries ago. There was immediately a Jesuit mission built to see to the Spanish soldiers and to convert the heathen. This commission was later abolished and by the time the grant came under the authority of the Mexican government, the Franciscan order took over the mission. It is still there and takes care of the religious needs of everyone.

“Originally there were several small tribes of different Indians living on the grant, but both the Spanish and the Mexican governments used them as slaves. Before the Europeans came, the Indians eked out a living by hunting and gathering their food.  Now they were driven to provide for these strangers on their land.

“Some who rebelled were executed. Many died from the diseases that they had no immunity from. Also, the Spanish soldiers raided the Indians, taking their women for slaves which further decimated what small tribal Indians who remained. Always in the years that followed, there were fewer births than deaths. The Indian population has declined to a mere sample of what it was a couple centuries ago.”

“How big is the Land Grant?”

“It is for 4 leagues and still nearly intact.”

“How much land is there in 4 leagues? I have no idea how big a league is”

“A league is about 4,400 acres so there is somewhere around 17,600 acres. About a third of it is mountain land. Another third was tilled at one time, but right now, much of it isn’t worth much because it has no water on it to grow crops. In the past it was highly productive land and possible to be made so again, but it would take some work and quite a bit of money.”

“Hank, don’t drag it out. Tell us how and why.”

“Sure Brady, I’m trying to explain so it makes sense. The arid nature of the land came about because an earthquake blocked off the reservoir from the river. The reservoir was a good sized lake that was fed by water run-off from the yearly snow melt in the mountains, and originally never went dry. The earthquake upset this by heaving the land up and leaving a ridge between the water source and the natural reservoir site. That barrier is fifty feet high between the old water course and nearly a mile from the lake bed.  If a channel was cut through that barrier, the land would become productive again.”

“So that is why you are looking for money.  What’s the hurry?”

“A little more background is needed.  The United States took California from Mexico and it became a state in 1850. This was two years after the end of the Mexican war. There is a great amount of confusion as to who owns the different parcels of land. The state has delved into getting this straightened out. There is a fee to be paid to, I guess you could say to prove up the title and be a way to pay for the new government. The title has been cleared and the land grant title is solid. The fee hasn’t been paid yet and the attorney who handles all this has to be paid as well.

“If the fee isn’t paid then the land is open to purchase, mostly by whoever pays the fee and can show a title. I need a little less than $10,000 to satisfy both the fee and the lawyer who would trade a paid bill for the title. He would leave the manor house and ten acres of land for the present owner and my love. The surveyor’s bill took the last of what money we could scrape together.

“I have used six days of the thirty days given me to come up with the fee. I will say that those grants where the boundaries can’t be established will end up in courts and may go on for years. There is also more than one claimant for some parcels.

“I tell you, I believe California is the land of promise. It needs more water in some places, but where there is water there is no limit to what the land will produce. Washington certainly knew what it was doing when it annexed California.”

Charley spoke up, “Hank, I’ll get the money together so you can get back on the train tomorrow. What’s your timeline?”

“It will take four or five days on the train and two more by horse to reach the office of land records. Once that is done it will be one more day to reach home and my sweetheart. This is if all goes well.”

“What can go wrong?”

“If the Indians attack the train that could hold us up and the train could be robbed.  I heard that there was a robbery east of here not more than a week ago. Also, the attorney isn’t going to want to give up gaining the land grant for himself. I’m sure he will be watching for my return. He’ll have men there to stop me. He belongs to a rough crowd. There are more damned crooks in California than there are in the city of New York.”

I said, “I’m glad you told me that. Pete and Uncle Harry, you had better go with Hank.”

“Okay, I’ll hunt up Tom. He won’t want to miss this."

"Charley, are you and the baby going to be okay?”

“Yeah sure, Brady, Berta and Sarah will be here.”

“Jack and I will watch out for her too. Remember she may have some papers to sign tomorrow, if we decide to sell.”

“Are you selling the business, Brady?”

“Yep Hank, the whole thing. This began to come together in just the last few days. There is a syndicate that wants it. We were talking in the last few days about looking you up and see if there were any prospects out your way. You say there is something for all of us out there. We’ve been partners here for a long time. Can we be in on this too?”

“I was hoping to persuade all of you. I’d say there was just about everything for anyone ambitious. Out there, up until Washington took over, most everyone sat back and let the world go by. The Californios figured ‘the sun shines about every day’ so we’ll do it tomorrow.’ Why spoil a perfectly good day by moving out of the shade when I’m perfectly comfortable?”

“Those men who were up around Sutter’s grant sure worked hard enough.”

“Yeah, and hundreds and hundreds of men, women and children died getting there too. Just think of the ships that sank coming around the cape. Months of agony and then you die. The grant I’m on is way south of Sutter’s Fort. The Californios had the best of it, but a lot of them were lazy and wasted their lives. They strutted around, sang, danced and most of them had slaves to do for them.”

“Oh well, maybe the friars lit their way into heaven and to a better way of life. That was what missionaries taught the slaves to believe and the way the poor things were worked, they had to believe in something.”

“You against religion, Brady?”

“No, not really. I’ve thought on this some. At least out there in California those Indians had a religion to believe in. Here all the Indians have to live by are their own gods and the hate the whites generate by taking their land, their food, and the freedom to live their life like they have for centuries. It’s only taking a few short years for it to happen. I was part of it for awhile and maybe I still am. I’ve been freighting enough goods into the country for the whites in the last ten years to survive all the while vanquishing the Indians.

“Brady, stop it. You’re getting melancholy.”

“I am, Berta. I felt like this when I left my home at sixteen and when I left Ohio at nineteen. Tell me you didn’t get that way when we left Montana and the cave when we finished up trapping for the year.”

“I didn’t at all, Brady. You had just told me you loved me. I’ve never looked back.”

I shook this from my mind. Everyone was staring at me. “Pete, don’t you have a bottle somewhere. Let’s toast Hank and then we’ll go get some money for him over at the bank before Cosgood closes up. Berta and her brother years ago headed to Oregon to buy land. She hasn’t got there yet and I doubt she ever will. If I hadn’t come along, her bones would be lying in some pass high in the mountains.”

“Brady, that sunshine everyday sounds better than cold, wet Oregon.”

Hank, Harry, Tom, and Pete loaded onto the morning train going west. Hank was the only one without a saddle. His was left at the station when he got on to come east. They all had saddlebags and bundles. It was cold going over the passes, so they carried a couple of blankets each. In each pack combined were gold coins enough to pay off the fee for the grant and to pay the attorney who was trying to get the Ranch from Don Pedro de Castillo. We waved and turned back for the freight yard.

——————————

At eleven we went up the street by the bank, George stepped from his office and we went toward the new one. “Hank, get away okay?”

“Yeah, those boys are on a lark. Pete will keep them all in line. Hank may be as good, he certainly has grown up from when he rode for the pony express. He didn’t say much about the woman he is seeing, but it is her father that holds the land grant.” I was looking ahead, hoping the business would give us enough for the move and enough to begin a new business.

“George, I know you will do your best.”

We entered and were ushered into the conference room, seating ourselves around the table. This banker said, “Polk sent word he would be along in about fifteen minutes. I guess one of the syndicate men tied one on last night, and Polk sounded disgusted.”

“This is a business where a person has to keep his wits about him, or at least we have all have found it so.” 

“That’s true Mrs. Boyd. I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Bertram Parks and I go by Bert. This bank has its main office in Denver.”

“The town is jumping isn’t it? When Brady and I came down out of the mountains, George was the only banker in town. Now there are three of them. This lady beside me is Sarah Abram, married to Jack. The young lady is Mrs. Pete Downs or Charlena. Call her Charley.”

“Where is your husband Mrs. Downs? I thought he was supposed to be here?”

“My brother was in from California yesterday. He has a sweetheart who is promised to him if Hank can save her father’s ranch. Hank, my brother, Pete, my husband, and a friend, along with my uncle Harry, headed out for there on the cars this morning.  If Hank is successful I may move out there.”

“You’re not staying in our fair city?”

“No, this was only a stopping place on the way. Brady picked us up when we were on the trail two days after our parents died. My uncle was working for him and we didn’t know that until he said he had a man named Horshack with him. It was my uncle. Some coincidence.”

“I’d say. Here are the syndicate partners.”  He turned to the men as they filed through the door. “Gentlemen, these are the present owners sitting here. One is lacking for he had to leave on a rescue mission. You’ll hardly remember their names if I tell you, but they’ll be on the deed if you buy their freight business.

“Mr. Polk, I’ll let you proceed. I understand their banker, George Cosgood, will be speaking for them.”

“Yes, I’m George Cosgood. I have met Mr. Polk previously.  In fact it was at my suggestion that a complete inventory of their business be written for you to look at. I assume he went over that last evening. All equipment is of the finest and I have looked at the projections for the goods and services that the business provides. All contracts that are in play are listed. We are waiting for an offer at your convenience.”

“What is your asking price? In business if you have something for sale there is a price on it.”

“This is a little different situation. Mr. Polk came to me inquiring if these owners could be persuaded to sell. To me that would suggest we hear your offer first.”

Four heads came together and whispers were exchanged. Polk looked up after a bit. “Mr. Parks, would you clear the room for us to have a conference? It will take a few minutes.”

“Mr. Cosgood? I have coffee, and I have sarsaparilla. Please follow me.” We followed into another room more opulent than the one we just left. Bert Parks left us alone.

George spoke low, “You put the replacement estimate at the end of the inventory. If I can come close to that would you be satisfied?”

Poker faced, I looked around at my partners. Everyone was trying not to smile. George spoke again, “I thought so and I think I can come awful close to it. I’ll do my best. The syndicate owner closest to Polk reached over and put his finger on that figure, just before Polk asked us to leave. That has set the level we are working from.”

Parks came back after another ten minutes, “They’re ready to make an offer.”

Berta asked, “Do we all have to go back. It’s Brady’s company and always has been.”

“I’m sure that will be fine. One of them said having a woman at the conference table bothered him.”

George and I filed back in behind Parks and sat down. Polk addressed George while looking at me, “Mr. Cosgood, we have determined what we will offer for the Royal Flush Freight Line. This will be a one-time offer. If it isn’t accepted, we’re done here. There is one line item that we will not purchase. That is the name of the freight company because it has no meaning for us. Therefore that amount will be stripped from our offer.”

“Would you write that figure down and I will show it to my client. He will take it back to the other principals.”

George handed it to me without looking at it. I left the room and walked in on my partners. “I have the offer here. They are not interested in the business name and have stripped that amount from the total. I’ll open it and we’ll look at it.” 

It lay on the table in front of us. $568,000. The replacement figure I had presented was $575,000. They had stripped $7,000 from the total. I was satisfied. My partners were too. We put our initials on the sheet of paper to show we were all in agreement. I handed it to George, and he turned and went back to the syndicate owners

“We have a sale gentlemen. It will take about an hour for me to generate the paperwork to finalize this. Do you want to wait a day?”

Polk’s, syndicate shook their heads no. Just then my partners filed into the room. They brought a fresh pot of coffee.  There was a stack of cups on the sideboard. There was a fresh loaf of bread and a tub of butter.  Berta sliced the bread and spread linen napkins to each person. Charley tall, with beautiful brushed brown hair poured the coffee. There was nothing not to admire about her either. There was a small pitcher of cream and a bowl of sugar. No one took either for their coffee.

One owner approached Berta, “Hi, my name is Jim. It is unusual to find a woman that is involved in a business such as this? How did you come to meet Mr. Boyd? I’m not prying if you don’t care to share.”

“In 1857, my brother and I lived in Chicago. We had an uncle living in Oregon. We decided to join him. We had saved money for a year. We started okay, but on reaching Montana we lost our way. We were across the Yellowstone and had just made camp when a horseman rode into camp, shooting and killing my brother. He was after me with intent to rape. I was scared, but he was insistent that I come up to him of my own free will. I advanced and when close enough I shot the bastard putting three bullets into him.

“I sat down quite perturbed at the narrow escape and wondered what was next for me.  I looked up and there was Brady. Brady was a trapper and had heard me shoot the person. He dragged the dead thing out of the fire where it was burning. Going forward because there was no place for me to go, I spent the winter helping him trap for furs, living as his sister. When we reached Cheyenne in the spring, we declared that we would like to come together as husband and wife. We have three children and are very happy.”

“You had the fortitude to protect yourself by killing a man. Amazing!”

“That was the first one, yes.”

“You killed another?”

“The next year. Brady was shot at while coming from our cabin. I got behind the sniper and killed to protect my husband.”

“Does your husband shoot people too, or is it only you?”

“He’s pretty good with a gun. He walked out into the street when challenged and killed Sarah’s first husband.”

“And why did he do that?”

“He threatened and insulted me at the same meeting. They met the next day after Brady was challenged. Her husband was terribly slow, and it was hardly a fair fight. But the man carried through and Brady had to kill him.”

“My God woman, you all are a blood thirsty bunch. How come Mrs. Abram doesn’t hate your husband?”

“Because her husband as he lay dying asked Brady to take care of Sarah. How could Brady refuse?”

“And the prettiest partner? How did she meet up with you?”

“Brady was back down the trail on his way home after making an estimate. He came on a prairie wagon pulled by a pair of oxen. Charley was on the seat and her twelve-year-old brother was driving the cattle.  There was no adult visible. Two men had the team halted. It was the wagon train boss who had buried her parents three days before. The other older man wanted Charley, but he was dirty and scruffy and both children were scared.

“Brady straightened it out and brought them home with him. She was fifteen at the time.”

“I suppose Brady shot the man.”

“Nah, it would have been like shooting fish in a barrel. The fool was awful slow and got his gun tangled up getting it out of his pocket. Do you carry a gun?”

“I do, but I have never pulled it. In fact I don’t even load it.” Berta shook her head.

“If someone challenges you, you’d be better off without one. If someone knew you have one on you, he could shoot you just because you are armed. In fact, I could shoot you now and it might be legal.”

“My God, don’t tell me you are armed sitting here while talking to me?”

“I am. Of course, if a man bothers me, Brady most likely would take care of him.”

“Is everyone like this?”

“Most that I know are, but I wouldn’t be brave enough to ask.  Oops, here is Mr. Parks with our papers. It’s been nice talking with you.”

There were facts on the sales agreement still to be agreed on. George Cosgood still spoke for us telling if either us or the new owners had any special requests how long we had to resolve these. We settled on thirty days to move from the three dwellings.  The restaurant property was turned over immediately and we would inform the lease holder of this on our way by. They should be okay for the lease had a year to run.

Jack was to spend seven days going over the operation detailing routine of how the stock and the equipment were handled. Sarah did the same with the office routine.  Charley handled everything at the warehouses. Here the details were more complicated. She had the ordering of and the wholesaling of what she put into the warehouse. Two thirds of this she knew before hand of what to stock, but the other third was pure speculation.

Chapter Seven

The new owners had our books and records to guide them. If they shouldn’t order enough, the warehouses would empty and customers would need to wait, making them unhappy. If too much of one item was stocked it took up floor space. Charley had built this from the bottom and she rarely missed on her stock now. We talked about it and chuckled over what the owners would have to face when an upset client was told they had to wait for some large order that hadn’t been telegraphed in yet.

Before we moved out of our houses, the three owners were at our door with a complaint. It seemed they had not known how dangerous the Indian situation was.  When they found the Army didn’t always provide an escort up into the hills, they were upset to find they had to hire their own escort.

“There is nothing marked down in your records about the added expense for providing escorts. We assumed the Army would provide.”

“The Army does when they have troopers available. If we have freighters not out on the trail and know some will be available, we give the men half pay to ride along as armed escorts. Another thing, you’ll have to feed the beggar Indians, so carry some food to give out. Remember giving them too much is worse than not giving them enough because it just draws more in to beg. Soon you’ll be feeding a whole tribe if you screw it up.  Depend on your mule skinners for something like this.”

“I started out the same way you are doing. I was here a month and left Berta and went out with the freighters. I was thirty days on the trail, but I returned knowing what the job entailed. It was one of the wisest moves I ever made.” I smiled to myself, thinking on how the freighters might get these bosses out on the trail and have some fun.

We began to get telegrams from Pete and Hank. They reached end of the railroad in Sacramento. Hank was spotted by three hard cases as they approached him, not realizing he had help. One of the men was shot by Hank and the rest ran off. The telegram was short necessarily, but Pete had put “fast” when telling that Hank had shot the person. I smiled for I knew Pete wanted me to know that Hank had become gun handy under my direction. I imagined he could beat me at my own game now.

Charley replied immediately that the business had been sold the day after they left and things would be wound up here in a month.

Another Telegram came from California that the land grant was now safe and they were asking when we would arrive in California from Cheyenne. A few days’ later letters followed. The first one was for Charley from Pete.  He gave more detail about their trip. A stream of letters continued almost daily telling us about the land grant that Hank was making his home.

There was one from Elena de Castillo, also to Charley. There was little information in this one. Mostly it was about how much she loved her Dear Henry and how he had saved her from losing her home. Her English was that of a twelve year old, but we understood that she had been speaking Spanish at home all her life.

Pete sent word that he had been up to where the earthquake had changed the lay of the land. This had happened not that many years ago, Pete couldn’t pin down the exact year, but most everyone alive remembered it happening.  The grant under the United States could care less and hadn’t helped the grant recover.  The de Castillos were not rich and from that year on just got poorer and poorer.

Pete wrote to Charley and we learned how Hank had come to know Don Pedro de Castillo and his daughter.

Hank and the two vaqueros from Texas had stopped at the Hacienda for water while riding by. Hank got a glimpse of Elena lugging some water for her tiny flower bed. He approached her and he was invited in after lugging enough water to drown the flowers. He stayed and worked at the ranch for meals. The first year he explored the grant.  He found one place near the mountains where there was feed for some cattle. He scoured the wilds and moved the found cattle onto this part of the grant.

When the government began talking about the land grants needing solid titles, Hank sold the cattle and hired surveyors to make the grant title solid. This left the grant short of the money to re-file on the grant and pay the fees. The Attorney Don Pedro hired was unscrupulous and thought that Hank would never find the money for both the fees and his bill.

Pete wrote that the mission where the priests held services previously would house Brady, Berta and family. Across the churchyard was the presidio where the governor, his staff, and the soldiers were quartered along with their mounts which were stabled, all in a building called a presidio. It was now uninhabited but could still be used.  This was a stark place without ornament and the adobe had deteriorated in places. Some of the walls had fallen in. This still belonged to the Catholic Church, but of course wasn’t active and now abandoned. 

There was another church not nine miles away that was still active. This was where Elena had gone to school, riding in a pony cart there with a trusted Indian escort. Pete said he was going to talk to the Church to see if permission could be gained to stay in the abandoned presidio under a long term lease.

—————————

We were scrambling here in Cheyenne getting ready to leave. I made arrangement to retain two railcars for the furniture and household goods we wanted to take with us. We found we would need some sort of storage near the depot when we reached California. The demurrage charges would be considerable if the cars went over the three day unload limit and the charges kicked in.

We planned to leave on Monday morning. The two cars we had reserved had been sitting on the siding since Saturday.  On Sunday early, all of my former crew who weren’t out on the trail came and loaded the rail cars with what we were taking. The first item loaded was a surrey that had been disassembled. With four children and three women, this would save them consternation if a buggy wasn’t available when we reached California.

We decided also to take Jack’s and my mount along with the pair of driving horses for the surrey in the stock car. Jack and I were riding in the stock car with our mounts and we agreed to feed and water all the other animals that were in with ours. We wouldn’t be charged for passage if we would see to all the animals in the rail car’s care.

After the two rails cars were loaded, we all went back to the yard for a royal send off from the men with whom we all worked since I won the freight outfit. There was a lot of sadness, mostly because the crew had seen three children born to Berta and me, and were family in all but name. Charley had arrived at fifteen and was pretty. She chose one of their own for a husband, grew into a beautiful woman, and had a cute little baby named Daniele.

Some of the men had come with Sarah when she became part of the Royal Flush Freight line. She was well loved. Berta, well, she was as much loved as Sarah. I don’t know how many times she was cautioned about shooting people. This was something they were hung up on. The marshal charged Berta with the same. George Cosgood was there and asked us to write telling him about our new life and would be hurt if we needed help and didn’t ask.

A wagon came into the yard with four of the women from the fancy houses. They had brought food and drink and then buggies and gigs arrived with several more of the town’s people. I was startled to see many of the so called better class of people mingling together with everyone.

Suddenly the hay barn doors were pushed open and music poured forth.  There was a band made up of ten different instruments.  There was only room for about a dozen couples to dance on the barn floor, but I saw that the ruts and hoof prints had been smoothed in front so the dance could take place for all. Charley, Berta and Sarah immediately took partners and the party began. Jack and I were in as much demand as our women.

The new owners didn’t seem to know what to make of this and stood off to one side watching. I saw that Polk was there with his wife. I went to him and asked if it was okay to ask his wife to dance. He said of course. She joined with us and then all the owners and their wives mixed with the crowd.  That one thing happening as it did might ingratiate the new owners with the crew of men they now commanded.

The children who were with us were getting tired so we slowly made our excuses and escaped to the boarding house where we were staying the night before gaining the train near daylight.  Our two cars were shunted from the siding and hooked onto the train. Jack and I loaded our horses and fed and watered the stock that was already in the car. Our families were in a passenger car about twenty cars ahead of the stock car where Jack and I were. Soon we were on our way heading for California.

———————————

Jack and I stood in the open door of the stock car and watched the world speed by. Some of the trip, a man could ride as fast as the train traveled, but there was no letup as the miles piled up behind us and Cheyenne was soon left behind. When the train stopped for water, we filled our buckets and the barrels at the same source.  We had to pail ours out of a trough whereas a pipe filled the train from a movable pipe from a tank higher than the train. Sometimes we had time to run forward to say hi to the women and children. If we late getting back, we would swing aboard before the train picked up too much speed.

We were having no trouble. Robby wanted to come back and stay with Jack and me in the stock car.  We told him maybe later. The children were all sick of riding and we still had two or three more days of this. Trouble reared its head after we left Evanstan. We had gone quite some distance and were climbing which meant we were moving slow.  The engine was laboring when we came to a full stop. 

The brakes squealed and we began to move backward. The train did halt. I thought I heard a gunshot. I looked at Jack and we swung down and headed for the front of the train. I glimpsed a man up on the pile of fuel in the tender, but he didn’t see me. I heard horses moving around and looked between the wheels to see the hooves of four horses on the other side.

We were a little past where Berta and the rest were in a car. I heard the door of the passenger car open and close on the one we were standing beside and then the next door open. Two more and the robbers would be in the car that Berta was sitting in. Jack had been watching for the man on the tender to spot us. At that moment, he sent a shot at us.

I had my eye on the space between the cars and a head came out and looked at us. He ducked back and it sounded like he had entered the next car back.  There was a lot of shouting and cursing from both the robbers and those who were on the train. We followed the noise back and when I heard Berta’s voice telling the kids to get down on the floor, I shook my head.

There was a flurry of gun shots. Someone jumped down at the front end of the car that we were opposite which was the one Berta was in. He looked to be dragging his leg. The man was headed for the front of the train. I swung up between the cars and shot at him. He went down. The bag of loot went flying when he did. It was now quiet. I spoke. “Berta, it’s me, Brady. Is it safe to open the door?”

“Yeah, come on in.” I looked in could see a man dead on the floor. The three youngest kids were crying. Robby announced, “Mama shot him and Aunt Charley shot and hit the one who ran away. Is it all over?”

“Not sure, I’ll be back in a few minutes. There may be one more somewhere.” 

Just then, the conductor stuck his head in. “Everything okay, here?”

“There is still one up front unless he rode off. There were four horses so we’ll have to find the fourth one. I’ll check the one who I hit on the other side.”

“Good, I’ll go up through the cars and check them out. We’ve got to get this settled or we’ll be late getting into Brigham City.” He opened the door and went into the forward car. Jack looked in and there was a man standing there with his hands in the air. A passenger had a gun on him. Jack and I stepped down onto the ground to look over the man whom both Charley and I had shot.  He was dead. All four horses were tied to the train up by the engine. There was a man on the ground with the engineer and the fireman standing over him. That put an end to the botched robbery.

The conductor said. “Load the dead men into the caboose and I’ll take statements. I’ll have the horses turned loose and we’ll get going. You two would like to be with your family so I’ll pick up another man in Brigham City to tend the stock so you can be with them the rest of the way. I’ll see if I can return the passengers wallets and things they were robbed of to the correct owners. The railroad thanks you. I’ll wire ahead to where you leave the train so they can thank you in person.

It was difficult for the engine to start the train on the long grade we had come up earlier before the trouble. Finally, Jack and I were able to go in and see our wives and family.  I came up to Berta and looked at her.

“Brady, I know just what you are thinking.  I couldn’t help it. What was I supposed to do, the damned fool stood there with his gun on me and Charley had just shot the other man. I was watching his eyes. He was going to shoot.”

I stepped and pulled her into my arms. She shuddered once and then pushed me away taking my youngest, Brenda into her arms to calm the crying child. I looked at Charley, asking, “Are you okay?”

She nodded that she was and clasped her baby tighter to her. I went up and kissed her cheek and she sat down. “Thanks, Brady, I needed that.”

There were twelve other passengers in the car and they had been silent through all this. Now a little conversation resumed. A woman started to say something to Berta who didn’t look up when she was addressed. I shook my head that she wasn’t to be bothered. Robby made room so I could sit by his mother.  Berta’s hand came and found mine.

When we reached Brigham City, it was a circus and we were held up several more hours. It was still unusual for a woman to kill. News had come from Cheyenne that this wasn’t the first robbery of the train in the past week. Finally, the Conductor let her, Charley and the three youngest kids into the caboose until just before we left when they could resume their same seats.

Robby, at ten was old enough to be really interested in history. I was able to tell him about the Mormons and Brigham Young. “The Mormons had originated with a man named, Joseph Smith born in upstate New York not far from where I was born. He died in Ohio after people didn’t like him having multiple wives and killed him. But the religion he started has lived on while he was trying to find a home for their faith. They came always west when moving and settled here near the Great Salt Lake.

“Another follower, Brigham Young, was born in Whitingham, Vermont. He carried on and brought their faith here from Ohio.  When this same railroad we are on today was in trouble from lack of workers, Brigham Young provided workers to keep the rails inching forward in this section to completion. They are an industrious group. They are looked down on by the Christian faith because they believe in having more than one wife at the same time.”

I also related when we reached The Donner Pass how travelers headed to California were stuck in the pass in heavy snow. They were a total of 81 persons there all winter. When they were relieved in the spring there were only 45 survivors. Only the hardiest survived. There were some gross actions during the winter and you’ll hear about that when you are older.”

“Tell me now, Daddy, I’m sure it won’t gross me out.”

“No, you’ll have to hear it later from someone else.”

“You’re mean!”

“Son!”

“Okay, Dad, but someone will tell me.” I shrugged my shoulders.

At the next the next stop for water, Robby got off the same as always.  I checked my stock and headed back to the passenger coach. When Robby returned, he came running up to me. “Dad, did those people really eat each other and their babies?”

“That’s the rumor, son. No one knows for sure. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

We got back on the train and were sitting, he looked pretty green. “Dad, I wish I had listened to you. I have two sisters and it is horrible to think about.”

“I know, it is only rumor and I hate to think about it too.”

We came down the slope of the mountains and reached Sacramento where we would be leaving the train. We had two loaded rail cars to get emptied as soon as possible after being shunted to a side line. My animals came off first. Pete didn’t help with this. He was checking on Charley and their baby. Tom and Harry helped me. Hank was talking to the shunt engineer about where our loads of furniture and goods were being spotted.  There were two other cars that were unhooked at the same time.

Hank and Pete had wagons to put our goods on. Harry and Tom were going to drive these. “Where did you get these from?”

“There are a few freight outfits around. I bought these and the mules to pull them. Do we have anybody who can handle mules?” This was a light-hearted attempt at a joke.

“One or two. I wouldn’t let you drive them. The mules might jump the traces and then what would you do?”

“Hank, it’s good to see you.

“You too, Brady. We heard that Berta is at it again?”

“Yeah, and Charley got some lead into one of them too.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. She’s my sister and she brought us a long way across the country before we met up with you. Ma and Pa were some discouraged once in awhile. It was Charley who was the backbone for all of us.  Me, I was just plain scared.”

“Well, let’s get that buggy put together. The tools are in a burlap sack in the bed.” It took us less than an hour. We left the freight yard and headed south toward San Francisco. We would stay east of the bay and keep going. We had about one hundred and fifty miles south to go. We drove two hours and stopped for the night at an inn. We men stayed in the yard and the women and children had a bed to sleep in—the first since leaving Cheyenne.

We got breakfast and soon continued on the road south. The mules were slow, so we made the decision for Hank and Pete to go on as an escort to the surrey that held the three women and four children. Tom and Harry, with me as relief driver would follow. We traveled parallel to the coast several miles in the interior. Tom informed me that the grant we were headed for was about fifty miles from the ocean to the west of the grant.

The landscape was strange and nothing like what we had in the Dakota Territory. Strange plants and trees for one thing, and the earth of lighter color.  One day heavy fog enveloped us, but burned off by ten in the morning. We spent four days reaching our destination.

We had to go beyond the Don Pedro de Castillo Hacienda to get to the abandoned mission and presidio. Berta and Charley were ensconced in apartments where priests had lived and prayed. The servants from the house had descended on this the day before the wagons arrival, cleaning and dusting under Berta, Charley, and Elena’s direction.

Jack and Sarah were to take up an apartment in the big house at the Hacienda until a small cottage could be constructed for them. Hank and Elena would live in the main house as soon as they were married which was planned for next week. This was made possible when Don Pedro was assured that funds would be provided to feed the friends and guests he wanted to invite for his daughter’s wedding. He wanted this to be in the old manner when he was a rich landowner instead of one who was virtually bankrupt.

The plans were for the morning of the wedding. Before the wedding ceremony, attorneys would be there to change the ownership of the grant to his only heir, his daughter, Elena and her husband, Henry. The only restriction was that every bit of the land in the grant would always be referred to as part of the de Castillo Grant. The Don asked that Hank take the name Castillo so the name wouldn’t pass into history. Hank would relinquish the name Horshack for the one of de Castillo.

Within the week after a short honeymoon, a meeting would be held with the newlyweds and the Americanos. With funds now, how to make the land grant profitable again would be discussed.

It was up to us to figure this out. We all had money, although unequal in amounts. We all had strengths and we hoped to build on these. Hank, with the help of Elena while waiting for us to arrive, had secured a ninety-nine-year lease to the abandoned mission and presidio from the nearest church that had retained control of it.

Here again, Hank agreed to a restriction by the church, that, if occupied, any persons of any station in life who came to the door asking for food they would be fed. I saw a flaw in this, but didn’t say anything and the deal was already recorded and done. Would riff-raff or Indians take advantage of this?

We unloaded the beds and we were a family again under a roof that we could call our own. That is if we wanted to decide to make the apartments in the old mission a permanent home. Charley and Pete were in different quarters in the same building. Harry and Tom would be living on the grounds in the former soldier barracks near the stables. This was a few yards separate from the mission itself.

———————————

While the preparation for the wedding was going forward in the capable hands of our women and the raft of servants who inhabited Don Pedro’s house, we headed for the upper reaches to explore some of the grant. I wanted to look at the water situation to see if there was some way we could get water flowing into the old lakebed.  Hank assured me that the land that had been watered from the lake still had the irrigation systems in place. These ditches would need to be cleaned and some small repairs made to irrigate several hundred acres of land again.

“Hank, we came over and through mountains where construction was difficult. This doesn’t look that difficult to me. Construction in one form or another is taking place with new roads and rail lines continuing all throughout the country while it becomes more populated.  We can hire one of the companies to do the job and they won’t have to travel far to do it. I guess Tom and Jack, along with Harry would be the ones to search for an outfit to do this. Agreed?”

It was. “Now for workers, the missions used the Indians to do their work and I imagine this grant was worked the same way.  I don’t know if there are that many Indians still around, but we can check with the house servants that have been kept on. They would know. If not, we might use the Chinese.”

“Brady, we can’t afford them. They get a dollar a day.”

“I know they do, but what if we provide shelter and their own plot of ground to raise chickens and goats and ask if they want their families to join their men?  I’ll bet they would work for a lot less and be much happier. We’ll look for the Indians first. “

“Where will they be living anyway? It should be close to where we need them.”

“Pete, we can start villages, although they may have some not far away. We’ll dig some wells and wherever we find water that’s where we’ll put one. Berta and I have always freighted and Pete has bought several wagons already. We’ll need more as time goes on when produce comes in. Maybe Charley can go to the coast and look at prospects about shipping goods that way. When we get a load of vegetables we’ll send them up to San Francisco; they’ll be sold in hours of when a boat docks.”

“What if we run out of money for all of this?”

“We could Pete, but don’t be surprised if our banker shows up here. He wants a change. All we need is one year of profitable crops and he’ll carry us in the lean times.”

Hank spoke up, “You know if we grow something that can be stored; the mission has some deep cool cellars that can be used. That’s one reason I worked so hard to get it into our hands.”

“We’ll explore these when we get back.”

“Are you going to grow fruits as well as vegetables? This is great wine country. Those were the first thing grown when the Spaniards showed up here. They had to have holy wine and they grew a lot of it.”

“And yes they drank a lot of it, too. I’ve heard that some of the soldiers drank to excess and more of them were killed when drunk during fights over a woman than against the enemy.”

“I’ve heard that too. Okay we have enough to do. We have a few things we can do before Hank goes off and makes his girl a woman.” Hank smiled when I said this. We’ll ride back to Don Pedro’s a different way. We haven’t seen but little of what we have here yet. Someday I want to ride up into the hills and see what it is like in the mountains. I’d like a venison steak occasionally.”

I had been here three days and hadn’t met Don Pedro yet. Tonight, all of us were invited to meet the Don. Elena would translate for us. Berta said she had a good command of the English language, although her written hand left much to be desired.

Don Pedro was a small man standing ramrod straight. His eyes twinkled when he shook my hand. A few words came forth, “So you are the one who rescued my daughter’s fiancé on the trail and helped make him the man he is? I congratulate you.”  This was repeated to me in the English I could understand by Elena.

I was quite taken with the woman Hank was to marry in two days. She was lovely and young, a year younger than Hank. She took my arm and guided me to a seat.

“I pray we may sit and talk and hear about your exciting life someday. I was so happy that you and your friends have decided to join Henry here. The project that he has taken to make the grant great again is more than one person should attempt. He said you were such a success at owning the freight line. He and I are willing to share with his friends especially when they have the funds to put the grant back into the shape my Papa’s father had in the past.

“All my life, the de Castillo family has had to go without in so many ways. I despaired of having a lovely wedding before we were turned out of our home. My Papa is a proud man and he would have died if that had come about. I assure you we have learned to do without for so long it won’t take much to see him happy now that the grant is safe.”

“We are glad to be here. You will be married to Henry and we are certainly going to make sure the grant remains in the de Castillo hands. In the meantime we are planning on building a good life for ourselves. You may not be clothed in gold, but you will definitely be comfortable.”

“Thank you, Mr. Boyd.”

“Please call me Brady as well as friend.”

“I will. Would you like to tour our house while you wait for dinner? I will assign my house keeper to guide you.”

“Has Berta and Charley had the tour?””

“Yes and Mrs. Abram has as well.”

“I would love to.”  Elena signaled to a woman who came to my side and spoke quickly. This woman was some years older than I, and her bearing indicated that that she was more than a lowly servant. “Delores, this is Mr. Boyd. He would like to view our apartments and the rest of the house. It will be nearly an hour before we are seated for dinner.”

“Please follow me, sir. Would you like to have your wife come with you?”

“I would and then we can discuss what we see at our leisure.”

I beckoned to Berta. Delores said while we were waiting for Berta to cross the room to us, “You may wonder why I am able to converse in English. I was originally from the state of Connecticut. My husband and I came around the horn ten years ago. I made it but he didn’t. I was employed at first to an Americano who was in business. When Elena’s mother passed, the Don asked me to come and be a companion to his daughter. We both have enjoyed the association.”

“I am sorry for your loss. I’m sad for Elena as well. I suppose my parents may still be alive. I am unaware because I left home at sixteen and have always made my own way since that time.”

“I’m sure they have missed you.” I didn’t answer because this fact did bother me more than I let on. Was I being selfish by not contacting my parents? Probably.

The building was of adobe. Much had been done to dress it up with wall hangings and bright window treatments. The windows were small and some of the rooms seemed dark. It was cool and I understood as the evening progressed the windows would be open to let the cooler air from the outside in to keep the temperature down at this time of year. I mentioned to Berta that I would see that she had material to do the same at the mission where we were now living.

We returned to the main room. My children were glad to see their father and mother return for this was all strange to them. Robby sat on a divan with his two sisters huddled close. Charley sat on the same seat holding her young one, Daniele. Hank smiled at me when I came in. He was proud of the change in his status. It was a lot different than living in the bunkhouse or in a cow camp.

There was chicken served for dinner. There was a thick red sauce that was spooned over the meat. I questioned what it was. “It is a vegetable named tomato. It has been known for centuries by the Indians in the southern part of this world. It grows on an upright plant. There are fruit of two colors … red and yellow. The red has a stronger flavor.

“There is a caution that goes with it. It is not to be cooked, served, or let stand in a pewter vessel. Something in pewter leeches out and can make a person sick unto death. Other than that it is very useful and goes with just about anything. The fruit is useful in salads and cooked if in a proper vessel. Some people make soup and when crushed and strained it is a great drink as a beverage.”

“Delores, is it easy to grow?”

“Very, and quite prolific. It has been grown here on this continent where it was first found. The Spanish Conquistadors took it back to Spain and the plant is grown everywhere in that country. It went to Italy, but for awhile was banned because they weren’t aware that used in pewter vessels it can be dangerous.”

“I will have to get some seeds and try it. I like it, especially with the chicken.”

Berta asked of Elena, “How long have you been eating these tomatoes?”

“All my life. I sometimes just put a little salt on one and have it for lunch. Sometimes I flavor a tomato soup with hot peppers and it is delicious.”  The bread we had was much like corn pone. There was a bit of molasses in it to sweeten it a little. “This was a staple of the Indians who worked in the fields.”

“How does the molasses get here?”

“It always comes by ship. It is to make rum. People in Cuba and Haiti derive it from sugar cane. I guess they grow the same in Mexico.”

Hank spent the night before his wedding at the mission with us.  This was the last day he was going to be a Horshack. In the morning he would become a de Castillo. But then too, he would have control of the land grant of that name. Asked by Berta if Don Pedro would retain control of the grant, he answered, “No, my wife, Elena and I will have control. She and Charley have been talking. Charley said she has always been involved in her life and has convinced Elena she should walk beside me like she does with Pete and never behind me.”

“It certainly has worked for Charley. She is one of the strongest people I know, man or woman.”

“Brady, thanks for saying that and I agree. You have been blessed with strong women in Berta, Sarah, and my sister by your side. I’m so glad you all have moved out here to help manage this that has come to me.

“Pa’s dream, when we decided to come west, was to get 160 acres of land and work it to feed the family and maybe have enough to give him and Mom a decent funeral. Instead he ended up in the same unmarked grave in the middle of a prairie with Mom and hundreds of others. Not even a preacher was there to say words over them. I have a future and happiness before me and I’m going to make the most of it. I do know that this will come with you partners who are my friends.

“Brady, everyone thinks Uncle Harry or Pete should be the one to stand beside me when I marry tomorrow. Neither wish to. Uncle Harry doesn’t want to be out where people he doesn’t know will see him. Pete says it should be you. It is you who have been the one to make me the man I am. So would you do me the honor?”

“I’d be more than proud.”

“Thank you. You do know that Berta will be opposite you standing with Elena, don’t you?” I shook my head that I didn’t, but I certainly approved.  This was just one more affirmation that she and I were partners and we both were appreciated by our friends and associates. “Uh, Brady, I don’t know how you stand with being a Christian. I have to tell you that I have been taking instruction to join the church of Elena’s faith. This is one more task I have had to do to be able to marry Elena. She was beyond my reach if I didn’t.”

“I’d guess it can’t hurt. My feelings on religion are somewhat mixed. If what is taught is true, then I’m going to have a lot to atone for when I meet my maker. I try to do what is right and just hope it weighs in my favor when my time comes. I may feel differently as I get older, but for now I’ll continue on as I am.”

“I feel the same way, and just because I go to church, I doubt I’ll change because I do.” Hank looked at the road. “I guess it’s time to get into my suit. Don’t you laugh when you see me? Elena found a suit in the Don’s clothes press and has been busy cutting it down to fit me. It’s bright blue with silver and red on it. There is a flat crowned hat with some of the silver and red on that too. She wanted me to wear a sword and dagger.” Hank laughed,

“I said if I needed to be armed, my nickel plated pistol would do. You know, Elena said I could wear it because it was my usual attire. I do think she loves me. I asked about why she gave in and it was because her father didn’t want her marrying someone dressed like they chased cows.”

“Well, Hank, I hope I don’t embarrass you. I’m wearing a vest over a blue flannel shirt. Berta said my new pair of faun-colored whipcord pants with matching jacket for my suit would be fine.  She has polished my boots too.  Pete is bringing the buggy for you and me. I had better be putting it on.” 

Hank did look pretty as a peacock after I helped him get into it. “Charley said to put it on and she would adjust it when I get up there. I have my own changing room and my apartment.  I doubt it will be used much. Elena said I was to stay in her rooms with her. I guess in other times the man and woman didn’t live that close, him joining her to make an heir. Can you believe people live like this?”

“Hank, people like Elena’s family have lived like this for centuries. You go back far enough though and they, the first ancestor, might have been a soldier or worker who was in the right place at the right time. He was raised up for some unknown reason—, maybe by protecting a king or something— as a reward.  Or maybe he was some robber with a band and used his stolen goods to set himself up.”

“Yeah, and he also could be someone like me marrying some beautiful woman to get ahead in life.”

“Don’t sell yourself too dearly. You have the love of Elena. There is nothing more wonderful. The world as we know it is moving ahead faster as time goes on. Your Ma and Pa wanted something better for you when they left the states. They didn’t make it, but you have. They would be so proud of both Charley and you.” Hank stuck out his hand and grasped mine and we went out and climbed into the buggy.

When we reached the hacienda, Charley and Berta took Hank in hand and headed inside. There were guests arriving already. Delores was marshaling a cadre of Indian servants to take care of them, making sure they found places to sit out of the sun. The young people were playing games, mostly according to their ages. Robby joined right in, not bashful at all. The two girls hung back until two strange kids came and urged them to play.

 There was going to be a mini rodeo further away from the house culminating in a race around a course that showed it was used occasionally. Something caught my eye moving down from the hills. It looked like a distant snake. I studied it and finally determined it was a bunch of Indians. Had they been invited … not that I knew of. It would take them awhile to get here because they were walking.

Delores came rushing by and I halted her with, “There is a bunch of Indians coming.”

“I know, they belong to the land. There aren’t as many as there used to be. Before the quake moved the water, there were four times as many. It is sad really that the Don couldn’t feed them any longer. Many have drifted away in search of food. They adored Elena as a child and these heard she was being married today and are coming to pay obeisance to the man who will become the Don someday.”

“Delores, is there any way I can speak to them. I don’t speak Spanish and I have no idea what they speak.”

“Brady, after Elena and Hank are wed, I will take you to talk to them.  The servants here are Indian and between us we can translate what you say. Now to the wedding, when we get ready to begin, station yourself at the side entrance to the garden. Pete and Henry’s uncle will join you. Henry will come out that entrance and you can walk to the front. You are to station yourself on the Padre’s left. Elena will come out the same door and Berta will guide her following her attendants to the right of the Padre.”

“What is the Padre like?”

“Young, a priest, and a friend of Elena. The older priest refused to hold the ceremony because he felt a wedding held outside without the church trappings is most irregular. The older priest, I think would do it except he has to keep his status in front of the many guests that will be here. He will be sitting with the crowd of observers and most likely be first at the table. He is quite jolly, more like a Santa Claus that the children love. You might as well walk around and make yourself comfortable. It will be an hour and then some.”

“Thank you, Delores. I’ll be sure to introduce myself to him.” I was still intrigued with the Indians who I could see were hurrying toward the Hacienda. There were a few carts pulled by an assortment of animals stuffed full of young kids and with older children running alongside. Men were fast-walking in the lead and the women were bringing up the rear.

I said to Pete that I would be right back. “I’m going down to the stables and see if there are any servants around. I’m going to have them meet the Indians with a couple casks of water. They are going to be awful thirsty. Maybe they would hitch up a couple of wagons and pick up the older Indians that are not going to make it all the way.”

“I’ll go with you; they can’t start this wedding without us.”

“We have an hour.” We headed for the stables and found more than a dozen Indians, standing around smoking.

I tried to sign with my hands, but these Indians here on the west coast were so much different from the plains tribes. “Anyone here speak Americano?”

“A bit.”

“Good, there are many Indians coming across the land and they will be very thirsty when they get here. Take water to them.”

“No habla.”

I looked around and saw a stack of water casks. “Agua.” I took two of the servants by the arm and pointed to the Indians coming toward the ranchero. I took four of the small barrels down and pointed to the water well here in the yard. “Fill barrels, get wagons and take to them.”  Then I had to pantomime that they should pick up the stragglers and give them a ride. I finally got through to what I wanted them to do. There was a rush to fulfill my wishes and soon Pete and I were headed back to the garden.

Pete was laughing at me trying to talk to the Indians. “Brady, you’ve got to open up a school for the Indians if you are going to boss them.”

“I guess.” All this time I was watching the Indians. When the two wagons the servants had hitched up reached those coming this way, they all stopped and we could tell all were getting their thirst quenched. As soon as this happened, the Indians resumed their march. The wagons headed for the stragglers and reaching them; helped them onto the wagon.

Satisfied, I turned and was standing by the door a half hour later when Hank appeared at my side. I hadn’t noticed, but a young priest had appeared, standing under an arbor that cast a little shade. Hank, laughed shakily, “Christ, I’m more scared now than when I was being chased by Indians when I rode for the Pony Express. Hold me up, Brady, if I faint.”

“You ain’t going to faint when you step up and face your bride. I’ll guarantee it.”

“I know.”  There was many of the Don’s ilk in the audience.

I leaned to Hank, “You are pretty, Hank, but there are other men here prettier than you.”

“Thank God for that. What have you been up to?  Did you get to visit with these people?”

“No, I was concerned about something else. I saw a bunch of Indians walking toward us from the hills.  Delores said they belonged to the grant. I went down to the stables and got some of the servants to load up some water and go out and meet them. There was enough room to pick up the ones who were having trouble keeping up.”

“Brady, you won’t have any trouble getting into Heaven. There is some of the stuff I have been studying about taking care of the elderly, the halt, and the lame and you’re right on top of it.”

“I wasn’t thinking about that, I was thinking about getting on their good side. These are the people who will be doing our work for us.  Maybe you should plan to walk out when you can and meet them.  Ask Elena to go with you. They didn’t come to see you, they came to see her.  In essence, they are her subjects.”

“You’ll have to be there with me.”

“I guess I can do that.” Just then, Elena’s attendants showed at the door. We straightened up and gave attention to the bride when she appeared. She was a beautiful creature. She was smiling, turning her face from one side to the other and almost skipping she looked so happy. Hank was no slouch, for he stepped forward as she approached, taking her hand and turning her to face him.

Don Pedro de Castillo offered up his daughter by saying, “I, Don de Castillo, and with the memory of my sainted wife, Juana, Elena’s mother, I do.”

This wedding was long. There was a young boy who sang several pieces in Latin. It was over finally and Elena led Hank through the crowd, halting before reaching the tables and benches had been set up to feed the guests. We formed a line set up with Elena, Hank and then Berta and me beside her.

Across from us were Pete, Charley, Sarah, Jack, and Tom. Delores was standing next to Hank to interpret while we were introduced as Hank’s partners, while the guests, mostly neighbors, walked slowly by us in a group as any line would at a wedding reception. It also was explained that the Don wanted any heirs forthcoming to carry his name, hence Henry’s name change. Harry had disappeared, skipping this detail of introduction. This bothered Charley, but Hank just laughed. It made me wonder if Hank wasn’t envying his uncle the freedom.

———————————

Tables were set up in the courtyard for the reception. Harry slipped up beside me after we were seated. “Brady, there are seven horseman coming from the direction of town riding this way and coming fast. The servants in the stables have seen them and look pretty nervous, leaving their feast table and hiding in the barns.”

“Do you think we should be armed?”

“I think I’m glad I brought my hardware.”

“Harry, take this basket and get our guns from our saddle bags.” Delores heard our conversation and whispered to Berta what Harry and I were up too. Berta excused herself and headed into the house, taking another basket with her. I was hoping Harry would have time to get back.

Ten minutes later Berta was back and leaned over me. “Brady, you’re always ready for what may come, aren’t you?”

“These riders may be only late guests.”

“All the servants are worried. Delores has begged the servants to protect Elena at all cost, but they are only armed with knives.”

“It is up to us to protect her and Hank. Hank has his pistol. Elena allowed him to wear it as part of his wedding get up. Plated like it is, it went well with his outfit.”

Harry came back and he had weapons for all of us. He passed behind us and passed them out.  The guests soon had word that trouble might be approaching. They were concerned and their mood of a happy reception talk dwindled to whispered fearful comments.

The riders never hesitated, riding right into the courtyard.  The guests left their seats and tables and huddled to one side. There were seven of these rough looking men. They started dismounting, handing the reins to what appeared to be a very young man. The tallest and biggest man waved and the kid, or whatever, left the courtyard holding the six horses. From where I was standing, I could see he stopped outside, staying in the saddle with the reins of three mounts in each hand.

I turned my attention to the six outlaws. The leader of the outlaws stood with his hands on his hips, just stating, “We heard about this wedding and decided to join you. The wedding is going to cost you a bit more than you anticipated. We will be passing a hat for the women guests to contribute a pretty item in it and the men, please at the same time, donate your wallets.

Just then, Don de Castillo ran through an opening between the tables and advanced on the bandit whom I figured was the leader. Don Pedro had drawn his sword that was a part of his dress uniform. The leader laughed, “Herro, take that pig sticker away from that fool and spank him with it.”

The Don had raised the sword over his head as though he was going to slash whoever was facing him. Hank, now the heir, was only two steps behind his new father-in-law. The old Don never slowed down and sped up, running toward this outlaw, Herro.

Herro saw the old man wasn’t going to stop so he scrambled to get his gun out. He was a bit slow. The Don lowered his sword to a point aimed at Herro’s chest and never slowed at all.  Herro used his left hand to deflect the weapon in the old man’s grasp. Again, he was slow, for the deflection raised the point higher and it went into his throat. The Don fell forward landing on top of his opponent, blood spraying from the man’s throat.

Other things at this point were happening fast. These five remaining outlaws were between the head tables and the guests who were in danger of being shot. Hank had some of it covered. He was short and the outlaws were taller. Hank was the fastest and got the leader in the chest with two shots and the man beside him took one in the head.

I dived under the table and was shooting up at the outlaws. I took out two from there. That took care of all but the one who had turned and headed out of the courtyard. He almost made it … but not quite. Pete took careful aim and just when the outlaw thought he was going to make it, Pete dropped him. 

The kid holding the horses dropped the reins and took off on the horse he was mounted on.  Harry went out through the courtyard and mounted the biggest animal.  He took after the kid, gaining on him. When the kid heard the hoof beats behind him, he reined in his mount and pulled his horse to a stop, sitting slumped in the saddle.  He figured he was going to be killed.

Harry spoke, “Come on Kid, no one is going to hurt you, but you got to explain who these guys were. Look, I’m going to put you in a stall in the stables. You’ll be more of a distraction because the guests are pretty upset already.  All of the outlaws you rode in with are dead. You understand, don’t you?”

“I guess, and I tell you I wasn’t part of that bunch. I was walking along a road and those guys picked me up. I guess they had killed the horse handler before me because the saddle had a lot of blood on it.”

“This is your lucky day then. You stay put and I’ll get someone to bring you some food.”

“I’ll stick.”

———————————

The Don had gotten up and was strutting around. He was still carrying his sword in his hand. Elena told her father, “Mi Pater, please put that away. The guests need to get calmed down. Go change into something that doesn’t have blood on it. I think we should take them inside away from this carnage to the great room. The servants will serve some wine. No one feels like eating anymore, anyway. In the meantime go and get cleaned up.”

“Elena, were any of our guests hurt?”

“Thankfully, no.”

“Elena, you have chosen a great person to be a husband. He was at my side immediately when called upon to defend, you, me, and our home. I feel I can retire now and turn the grant over to the new de Castillo. Two men down in a blink of the eye. He is amazing!”

“You are still a worthy Don, Mi Pater. You should not retire, but have him at your side for awhile longer.”

“We’ll see little one.”

As soon as the guests were inside, the priest came and said a few words over the bodies. Even he doubted they would find a way into heaven, but fulfilled what he thought necessary. I took over and directed the bodies to be stripped of any value and loaded onto a cart.

We went behind the barns and then across the public road to land that held many, I’m sure, unnamed bodies from over the tens of years. A large common grave had been started. Pete and I, along with Jack, looked for identification on the bodies. We could put names to all but one of the outlaws. I wrote the names down and would give the list to the sheriff.

This was a poor outfit, when stripped of everything in their pockets, only yielding a few half-pesos. I turned these few coins over to the priests who were departing. Most of the guests had already left. No thoughts of a rodeo or lingering over the table, talking with their friends were in their minds.

Elena and Hank came out and said they were ready to walk down and welcome the Indians.  Food had already been sent to them and they had been informed that the new Don and his bride would meet and welcome them with pleasure. And that the newly married mistress was pleased they came to speak with the lady of the grant about her different status.

Hank and Elena walked among the crowd of Indians and all bowed with obeisance. Hank then made a speech about what he hoped would be the new order of things on the grant.  He pointed to me, “Brady Boyd has looked over the nearly dry lake and believes he can soon find a way to make it full again. He has asked that you be a part of this attempt. Next year the fields will turn green and food will be plentiful for all who will help.”

A question was asked by the apparent headman about the Indians who had drifted away in the past and would they be welcomed if they returned to the grant?

“Of course, the more people to work, the sooner the grant will return to its former glory. Do you have food?”

“We have some, but not enough to feed more mouths.”

“I’ll see that you get enough. It will be corn.”

“That’s all we need. We leave tomorrow.”

“I’ll furnish wagons to carry your old and young to your village. You might as well keep the wagons there. We will have use for them within a week, I hope.” We three and the servant who interpreted for us headed back to the hacienda.

As we neared there, Harry came up to me, “Brady, are you going to talk to the kid who was holding the horses for the outlaws now?”

“I can. What’s he like and how old is he?”

“I didn’t ask, but he must be fifteen or sixteen. He’s just someone those outlaws picked up. He said they must have killed the previous one because the saddle they put him on was all covered with blood. He seems decent enough. Oh, he talks American.”

“Okay, we’ll take him down to the presidio with us. We’ll move the extra horses down there too. The weapons from that bunch are old and not of much account, but someday we’ll look them over.”

Elena and Hank went inside and I asked them to tell Berta to get the kids ready and we’d head for home. I went along with Harry to the stables.  The boy, or young man, was sitting outside a stall. He stood up when we came in. He looked at Harry, “I got fed. Thanks. I have missed a few meals, but the food you sent made up for all of them.”

I asked, “Where are you from?”

“Originally from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a year and a half ago. Pa died of a heart attack before we got here. The captain read from the good book and tipped him into the sea. I been knocking around the docks since then. Those guys I was holding horses for talked about what bad-asses they was, but I guess not.”

“Nope. Were they coming here specifically?”

“Yeah, they talked about it being a rich wedding and nobody would be armed. Guess they was wrong.”

“So, do you have someplace to go?”

“I was hoping you would take me on.”

“What do you know? I mean what did your pa do?”

“He worked in the shipyard. I spent a lot of time there. I’ve shipped on three different boats since I got here.”

“Well, you can tell me about it later. We’ll be going home in a little bit. Pick out one of those horses for your own. You’ve been handling them so you must know the one you want to ride. We’ll be leading the rest of them.”

—————————————

I rolled over the next morning and looked at Berta. “Good Morning Sweetheart, yesterday was something, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, it was. Brady, can we have a family day today. We have been so busy the last two months, I need time relax. No traveling anywhere and just have a little lunch at noon. Hank will be tied up with his new wife.  Sarah and Jack are up at the Hacienda along with Pete and Charley. Tom and Harry won’t bother us and are probably relaxing just as we are.”

“Fine by me. After yesterday, I need time to relax the same as you. I was just thinking about Robby. I think he is going to take after me. He certainly is interested in what we are trying to do here on the grant. He is always asking questions.”

“You think you get questioned, you should hear the ones I have to answer?”

“I know.  He asks me the same questions and then he will say that is the same as what you said.  You and I are still are on the same page.”

“God, Brady, what a life we are having. Look back and think what the last eleven years have been like together?”

“I do and I’m amazed.”

“You’re still in love with me, aren’t you?”

“Yes, more than ever. Berta, have we time to get a little closer?”  Berta got close enough. I was suddenly attacked.  “Wow, where did that come from?”

“That comes from me loving you so much. We talked about having one more baby. I made the decision for the both of us.”

“Oh, okay. Berta, do you like it here?”

“Yes, I’m reveling how nice and warm it is. I even like the mission where we are living. There are all kind of rooms. We do need some appliances like a big kitchen range and I know you will get me one soon. I love the water pump right in the kitchen. It is so convenient.”

“Whatever you need we will get.  What do you think of Hank’s bride?”

“Brady, she loves him, I know that.  She loves him a lot for saving the Grant for her father. I know they came terribly close to losing everything.”

“Do you think she resents us crowding in on the grant?”

“No, I don’t. Elena and I talked some. Hank wants to continue cattle ranching and she knows that the land to the north can be used for that. She doesn’t remember much about the time when the grant was producing crops up around the old dried up lake. She thinks it wonderful that the land will be restored to productivity.

“Some of that is because she totally wants the Indians to come back and live here again. She says the Indians in the house all the time are singing and are happy and aren’t sad like they were when she was growing up. It is possible isn’t it?”

“I’m counting on it.”

“Do you think what happened yesterday will cause any trouble?”

“You mean us wiping out the outlaws?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll know soon. Enough people were here, so it is bound to be known to the authorities. I’d say someone will be asking questions by tomorrow. I’m not worried about it. Don Pedro still carries’ weight and he started it. In fact, he was bragging about it. And then bragging about Hank backing him like he did, the Don thinks he was damned smart to let his daughter marry Hank.”

“They would have married anyway … they love each other that much.” We lay together until Berta heard my stomach growl.  “I’m getting up and feeding you. The girls will be running in on us if I don’t.”

“I wouldn’t mind, they are just so sweet and are a reflection of you.”

“I love you Brady Boyd.”

I lay in bed, thinking until I could smell coffee. Tom from the nearby presidio was there having coffee. He asked when finished, “Berta, if you have some frying meat I’ll feed Harry and the new kid and you can eat with your family.”

“Thanks Tom, I have some beef, but no pork.”

“That’s good. Can I have some flour, too?”

“Sure. There is a loaf of bread if you want.”  Robby had come in, listening to this exchange.

“Mom, can I eat with Tom and Harry?”

“Go ahead, but keep out of the way of the men.” Just then, the two girls came sleepily into the kitchen. Tom after saying hi to them, left with Robby tagging along.

Betty, seven years old, burst out with, “Robby gets to go somewhere all the time. Why can’t I?”

“Maybe because it is really dirty out there in the stables. There are flies that will crawl all over you. Go kiss your daddy good morning.” 

Both Betty and Brenda landed in my lap. I didn’t often get a chance to show my girls the affection they deserved and I relished the chance to do so.  What a way to begin a day of relaxation.

Robby turned up before lunch. “Mom, you’re a better cook than Tom. I could hardly chew the meat and he burned the toast. That Jim person seemed to like it okay. I guess he has been hungry a lot.”

“Probably. What’s he like?”

“He is almost eighteen. Talks funny, but I can understand him. He lost his father and is an orphan. He knows a lot about boats. I asked him about them. I’ve never even seen one. He said where he grew up he was out sailing all the time. He would be now if those guys Hank and Dad killed hadn’t made him come with them. He thinks maybe he may go back to the coast soon.”

“Did he say what kinds of ships he has been on?”

“Lately he said he was on merchant vessels that carried stuff. Boats carry everything, even bird poop. He said there are islands just covered with the stuff and you can go there and load it onto boats. Who would want it?”

I looked at Berta. Robby had been talking to his mother. It was she who asked, “Robby, would you go down to the stables and ask Jim to come talk to us? I’d like to meet him and he can eat with us. See if Tom and Harry won’t come too.”

Betty spoke up, “I want to go with Robby this time. He’s coming right back. I can run faster than flies.”

“Go, both of you.” I grabbed Brenda and started tickling her to keep her from going with the two older kids.

“Brady, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“I believe so. Guano is the best fertilizer there is. That land we are going to work has lain fallow for years and if we can get some fertilizer to put around the plants it will give back crops four fold. I know, I used to have to clean out the hen houses for my mother when I was a kid and Mom preferred it over cow shit.”

“Cow shit.”

That cracked Berta up to hear her three-year-old pick up “cow shit” and repeat it.  Hopefully she would forget it soon. We had learned she would if we didn’t make anything of it. Berta set about now making lunch.

Betty was in Tom’s arms when he and Harry came for lunch. Robby was talking with Jim, asking one question after the other. Jim, we could tell, had tried to clean up but all he had were the clothes he was wearing. He apologized to Berta.

“That’s alright. I know how you feel. Brady and I lived in a cave for six months. You feel like you are never going to get clean again. We’ll get you some clothes the first chance someone goes to town”

“Thank you, Ma’am.”

“Call me Berta. What’s your last name, Jim?”

“Bellows; I’m the last of the line.”

“We’ll have to see if we can find you some friends. We just got here from Wyoming and haven’t met many people yet. Sit down and we’ll eat.  A lot of this is left-over’s from the wedding yesterday. People didn’t hang around to eat after what happened.”

“I hope you don’t blame me. Those outlaws gave me a choice of holding the horses or getting shot.”

“I think you made the right choice and I hope you stick around.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.”

Everyone was relaxing after the built up for Hank’s wedding yesterday and the excitement that surrounded it. Jack and Sarah rode in from the hacienda.

They were laughing about Don Pedro still trying to guide his daughter. It seems that she and Hank were planning to ride up to where Hank wanted to establish a cattle ranch.  Elena had come out ready to mount her horse.  She planned on riding astride, and the Don was objecting strongly. He didn’t really approve of her riding side-saddle either.

“Mi Pater, I am partner in my new husband’s endeavors and I intend to be with him while he does it. Henry is my husband now and we are as one. You, Mi Pater, gave me to him and it seems it is safer to ride a horse with a foot in a stirrup on each side of the animal.” Her argument won.

Sarah and Jack dismounted and sat talking with Tom and Harry.  Jim Bellows listened intently when the people who had transferred here talked about their old home and business. Not long after Jack and Sarah arrived, a servant came running down the road.  He had run all the way from the Hacienda. 

He had a message that the sheriff and three deputies had ridden in inquiring about what went on yesterday during the wedding.  The sheriff was an Americano. The Don was reporting what happened, but the sheriff couldn’t get much of what happened until Pete and Charley came out to speak to him.  Charley had sent the servant down to tell Brady and Berta that the sheriff would soon be showing up here at the mission.

He was correct, for the sheriff soon rode in. Berta and Sarah urged the sheriff to dismount and have a cool drink. Some food still left from the wedding was brought out and served.  The sheriff then began asking questions about who we were and how we came to be living at the grant. Brady told him how the partners had rescued the grant and were now planning to work at different businesses to make the grant pay as it had in years past.

Brady explained that the plan was to try turn the river back onto the productive part of the land and to refill the lake that had gone dry when the earthquake had sent up a barrier and changed the course of the river. “Is this water totally on the grant? If it isn’t, you might have trouble from the landowner that uses the water now.  Water in California is, and always has been, at a premium.”

“No, the end of the water ends up in a blind canyon and creates a small lake.  That dries up when the snow melt is over. We figure it will be next year before the old lake reaches its previous level.”

“I guess you are okay then. How are you going to work this land?  There used to be a lot of Indians that did that.”

“Some are still here. I have already talked to them and, although scattered, many will find their way back to the grant. Many will be of a new generation because it has been that long.  These Indians are more peaceful than from where we are from. Sheriff, are you satisfied with the way things went down, yesterday?”

“Yes, I am. I’ve heard of this bunch and have been fearful of having trouble with them. Thanks for taking them off my hands. You should have heard the stories and complaints that came in from the guests that were here yesterday.  It started out before daylight and I rode over to find out the truth. Hard to believe nobody but them was the only ones killed.”

“Sheriff, that’s the way we have had to live for the last ten years and one of the reasons we moved out here when the chance presented itself.”

“The women came too?”

“Yes, the women came as well. Ask Berta, my wife. She didn’t have time to get into it yesterday, but could have.  It was only three weeks ago she killed a train robber on the way here.”

“Brady, shut up, the sheriff will think I’m terrible.”

“No Ma’am, I don’t. Some people just plain need killing. Well thanks for talking with me, I’ll be going along. I do believe you folks will be an asset to the land and community. If you need anything I can help you with, don’t hesitate to call on me.”

The sheriff mounted up and we saw him pause for a few minutes to speak with Pete and Charley when they met them coming here. Charley handed down her baby Danielle, when she dismounted and soon we were all together for the first time in ages and could relax since selling the businesses back in Cheyenne.  Pete dug two bottles of wine from his saddle bags and now we could really relax.

Charley spoke up, “I suppose we should begin planning how to make a life for ourselves.  Hank is all set and Brady is talking about going into farming and growing crops. What are you planting?”

“Corn, for sure. We need that to feed the Indians and it will be a big part of their pay. Hank will need corn for his horses and we will too.  That means we will have to buy seed. I want to learn more about those tomatoes and how to grow them. There are always grapes for wine. There are sweet grapes that can be dried into raisins that go into delicacies and cookies. 

“I understand there are a few olive trees here. Whether they will grow well or not, I don’t know. I’ll ask someone who remembers.  Maybe there are nuts that would flourish as well. I guess the best way is go into the markets and see what is grown. Maybe we can try some wheat and cotton.”

Jack spoke up, “The land has been dried out for years. It looks damned poor to me.”

Berta spoke, now.  “I have the answer for that. We’re going to have water and we may be able to buy fertilizer. Oh, by the way, this is Jim Bellows. I’m hoping he will stay with us.  Jim, tell us what you have been doing the last year.”

“You mean sailing down south to islands near the Baja and bringing back bird droppings to use for fertilizer.”

“Yes, and that one fact may be what will make the de Castillo Grant blossom again. Jim, tell us all about it, if you would?”

“Well, I’d been living on the docks picking up enough work to feed myself. The weather was never too cold like in New England. There are any number of ship hulks rotting away I could sleep on. One day I heard a Captain was taking on workers to go down the coast and load up guano from one of the small islands near Baja California.

“I snuck aboard, but we hadn’t got out of the harbor before I was discovered.  Needless to say, I was put to work.  The Captain took a liking to me when he found out I knew something about sailing and ships.  Anyway, we got down to the islands where this guano was piled up on the bits of land that the birds roost on. I figured it would be terribly smelly and dirty, but if the top is raked off, the crap is solid and you have to use a pick to mine it.”

I asked, “How do you transport it?”

“Captain Shaw had a lot of burlap sacks to fill and take to the ship by small boat. The between deck is the best place to store it because it is dry. The bottom of the ship is used some if there isn’t much water, but the pumps have to be working good or water will wet the sacks and is absorbed so you end up with a sack that is like wet lime and terrible slimy. If the bottom of the ship isn’t used you have to have ballast down there so the top of the ship won’t tip if you have to heel it over in a sharp turn.”

“Is that the only trip you made to take on the guano?”

“No, I made one more, and I would have made more but the captain’s ship had been impounded because he owed money to get his second ship out of repair. He can’t put to sea now and maybe never if he can’t come up with some money to pay his bills. He has even tried to sell one of the ships just for what is owed to free the other one, but nobody is buying. As I said if you can find a ship that can be repaired, just latch onto it, repair it and you have yourself a ship.”

“I should think people would do that?”

“No, because the boats are changing and going to steel hulls with steam driven screws and are what everyone wants now.”

“So, these ships of Captain Shaw’s are wooden sailing ships with sails?”

“That’s right. They call for a bigger crew than steam ships do too because more sailors are needed to man the sails.”

“Can using these older type ships still be profitable?”

“Of course they can. A lot of it depends on the crew. There are still many experienced sailors still hanging around the docks, praying for a berth. They are feeling obsolete—and they are. There aren’t that many tall ships traveling now. In twenty years they will have all but disappeared.”

“Who mines and loads the guano? I wouldn’t imagine the sailors would.”

“No. There are several native villages nearby who can be hired to dig the guano and get it out to the ship. They work their butts off for any bit of paid work. It has to be handed onto a lighter and transported. There is a ship’s boom that hoists it up from the small boats and lowers it into the holds.  When the ship is loaded and returns here, there are dock-workers that unload the ship to small boats to bring in. If wagons are waiting, they’ll load it onto them. Otherwise it is left right on the dock.”

“This sounds expensive.”

“Maybe, but if you are growing crops it is said it is worth its weight in gold.”

I looked around. “We should look into this, shouldn’t we? Who wants to tackle this?”

Charley spoke up, “It sounds like something I could handle. I’d need Pete, and Jim needs to be with us to find our way around. Maybe he can find out whom we should talk with to give us pointers about the right kind of ship we need to engage. We need a trustworthy captain to operate everything.”

Jim looked a little concerned, “You’re putting an awful lot of trust in me and I’ve only just met you.”

“Don’t worry yet, I’m just looking for information to begin with. I’ve been running some big warehouses for the last eight years. We’re all partners here and trust each other. If we do this, we have to decide how to finance it. We’ve other things to think about, too.  We have to get water onto the land. Who is going to see to that?”

I looked over at Jack, “Jack, do you think you could find someone to construct a new course for the river? You may have to go clear to ’Frisco.”

“Let me have Tom with me and I think I can get it done. Sarah, do want to go too?”

“Certainly, just to keep you two out of trouble and I might want to do some shopping.”

“Great, we’ll take the buckboard. Charley and Berta can give you a list of what they need.”

Charley spoke up, “Berta, I guess you get to watch the kids. Danielle is old enough to stay with your three, if it is okay?”

“Sure, she is a good baby.”

Chapter Eight

Harry asked, “What about me?”

I informed him, “I need you with me. I want to do some measuring where we will be making the cut for the new waterway. We’ll be interacting with the Indians after I get that done. I want to find out if they know how to irrigate the land like it used to be and what has to be done to get the land ready to till again. 

“What we really need is someone that has farmed here before. I know absolutely nothing about planting and stuff. I’m sure I will make an awful lot of mistakes and we don’t have the money to make that many.  Looking ahead, we will need some buildings too. It is too far away to travel back and forth from one side of the grant to the other every day.”

Charley questioned, “What about Hank? We’ve kind of sidestepped him. He wants to build a ranch over on the other side of the grant.”

I answered Charley, “Hank wants to do that himself. I thought we would finance him getting started. We never would have had a chance like this if it wasn’t for him. He can even keep the ranch separate if he wants too.”

“I don’t think he plans to. He wants to make this grant great again and promised the Don it would always be known as the de Castillo Grant. He said to me that he did need some backing to get started and didn’t know how to approach everyone to ask.”

“Charley, you tell him we’re behind him all the way. He’ll be tied up with Elena for a few days. I doubt he has cows on his mind. When he comes around we’ll help him.”

“Thanks, Brady, I knew we would.”

We sat around the rest of the afternoon relaxing. Every once in a while someone would ask a question concerning what we had laid out to be done to make the grant something to be proud of.”

Jim asked how we all came together, and Berta answered. “We each have our own story to tell and it didn’t happen all at once. Me, well, Brady rescued me up in the wilds of Montana. He helped me make it through the winter and then asked me to marry him. He was a trapper and kept me alive for six months before I saw another soul. I think I loved him from the first day we met, but I had issues so it took a while.

I took over. “The first time I saw Berta, she had just killed a man, but then she was in real trouble. Alone in wild country with the winter coming on, we threw in together and had a good season trapping. We came out in the spring loaded down with furs and headed south to sell them. On the way, we met up with Tom, Pete, and Harry.

“The first night in town I went into a bar and played poker. I had a run of luck and Jack here lost his freight line to me. I, who didn’t know anything about managing a freight line, was in trouble. I hired Jack to manage it for me. Berta and I were married a week later.

“Not long after that, the owner of another freight line, challenged me and I killed him. I promised to see that his wife was taken care of. That’s Sarah, who eventually married Jack. Pete, Tom, and Harry went to work for the concern. Berta and I needed more experience so we made Sarah and Jack our partners and they still are. Not bragging, it was the best move we ever made.”

“Where does Charley come into all this?”

Charley spoke up, “I’ll tell how. Hank is my brother and my parents decided to head west to find land to farm. We were living in Ohio at the time. We were almost to the Wyoming border when Ma and Pa died of cholera, leaving me at fifteen, and Hank nearly fourteen to carry on.  We had a wagon and oxen and the trail boss in the train wanted me and the cattle. He was going to give me to another man.  Brady came by and took up for me and Hank. Brady then took us home to Berta.  We found out that our lost uncle, Harry, was working for him.

“We got us a home built and I did a few little things to pay the outfit back for taking us in and saving us from the hell that was before us before Brady came along. When I turned sixteen, the outfit gave me a birthday party and Pete asked me to marry him. I worked hard and eventually I was asked to become a partner with the others.”

“What about Hank?”

Charley laughed, “Brady put Hank on his horse the day we met him so Brady could drive the oxen. Since that time, Hank has to be riding. When the Pony Express was formed, Hank went to ride for them. He had a 73 mile stint through all kinds of rough territory to ride in 10 hours. 

“Eventually he and some cowhands came west here and he fell in love with Elena. To save the grant, Hank came back to Cheyenne to see if he could borrow enough money so he could marry his love. We had been approached to sell the freight line and it came about that we had the funds so we could. We moved here three weeks ago.”

“Charley, how long were you in Wyoming?”

“Jim, 11 years and now we start over.”

I spoke now, “I do believe this is where we will settle for the rest of our lives. But then, that’s what I said when Berta and I married and settled in Wyoming.”

“What made you decide to sell and move?”

“Indians had something to do with it. Wyoming, the Dakotas, Montana, and the Territories to the south are terribly unsettled. Berta and I thought of the family we have and wanted them out of harm’s way.”

“Yes, and you have been here three weeks and had to kill or be killed.”

“That’s true, but the odds were on our side.”

“I guess.” He grinned and then said, “But they didn’t know that. Jesus, Herro didn’t know what to do. He had never been confronted with a sword before. He was a mean bastard too.”

I made an observation, “The Don is a prideful man and was having guests in at his daughter’s wedding. He didn’t think, just acted. Think about that a little. We’ve lived where the unexpected was the norm. We were alerted that strangers were headed our way. Hank had his pistol because it wasn’t out of place on his wedding outfit. This is the way we have had to live for the last ten years.

“Berta took a basket and went after our own firearms.  The guns wouldn’t have come out of the basket if those riding in were friendly, but we were ready. Three weeks ago on the train we were riding on was being robbed. The robber in Charley and Berta’s rail car were going to kill. Berta took care of that, killing him in front of twelve passengers and four children. Charley plugged the other robber and slowed him enough for me to finish him off.

“This is kind of a code to live by. Be ready if you don’t feel comfortable in any situation you get into. It starts with having a weapon and knowing how to use it.”

Jim looked at me and then asked. “Were you always ready in every situation when you should have been?”

I hesitated and turned to look at Berta. She explained my silence, “Jim, Brady knew that Indians often waited where they could see the front door of a home, the first thing in the morning. The person came out every morning to do his business and the Indian would shoot and kill him. I saved Brady’s life one morning when he forgot what he thought was his automatic, ingrained action.”

“How was that?”

“Brady turned back to tell me he loved me just as he was to step outside. The person missed, but it was close. To get even, it was me who killed the person who almost cost me my love a half hour earlier. I’ll tell you in detail some other time.”

No one said anything for a while. Robby and Betty were playing tag and Brenda was trying to keep up. It would go until the two older ones could see that Brenda was getting frustrated. They would then let her tag them. Jack asked, “When are we going to start all of this moving ahead?”

I spoke up, saying, “Tomorrow I guess. Is everyone okay with that?” Everyone was.

Charley said when she got to town Jim was to get some new clothes. Pete needed some as well. We were all lolling around when we saw a tall man on a horse, another person on a burro, and six Indians walking beside them. They had appeared from the direction of the Hacienda. Jack volunteered, “They are headed here.  Maybe it is a bunch that belonged here in the past.”  We agreed that this was likely.

———————————————

They all stopped, facing us. The tall patrician appearing man looked to be about sixty.  The old person on the burro looked to be Indian and so were the rest.

Berta and Sarah brought out bowls and a jug of water, and after telling the people to get down, she handed them a bowl of water. “Hungry,” she asked.” The tall man nodded. Sarah went inside and returned with a pot of stew. Berta had made it earlier for our supper, but we’d eat something else. There was also some bread made of corn.

Each person presented the bowls they were holding and Berta ladled stew into it.  One Indian brought the old Indian’s bowl to be filled. I guess he was used to being waited on. I remembered back to the deal Hank had made to lease the Presidio, if anyone came to the door and were hungry, we would feed them.

The tall man now announced, “I’m Sylvio and I used to be the overseer on the planting of the grant. I was in charge of planting and of harvesting what the grant produced. This old Indian, Pito was in charge of all the Indians as head man. I wouldn’t dare guess how old he is. All the Indians take his orders, even mine through him. Word has it that new people are in charge of the grant and will soon be working the land again. I would like to return here if possible.”

I said, “Yes, that is correct. You are very welcome for none of us have worked the land before. How did you hear of this?”

“Whispers on the wind have been circulating for many days. I thought the grant would be lost when all the cattle were sold, but then the little man returned and the wind whispered the grant was safe once more. Only last night whispers came to me that bad men who preyed on the grant had been removed. Tell me, if it is true that water will fill the lake again?”

I pointed at Jack and Tom. “Those two will begin tomorrow to search for someone to change the course of the river and bring water back to the empty lake. The woman and man sitting over there are leaving to search for seed and fertilizer for what we hope to produce. They have a plan.”

“That is good that you search for fertilizer. The seed will not be wasted. And you who tells me this, what do you do?”

“I’m the person who puts it all together to make a success of the grant.”

“And what about the little man who has just married my second cousin and will be Don someday?”

“You have me confused. How can Elena be your second cousin?”

“Because Don Pedro is my cousin. His father and my father were brothers. My uncle married a woman of station and my father loved a woman of the village. My place was chosen for me before I reached this earth. But I am a man and have done much to preserve the grant for many years. That is until Pedro wasted it away by gambling and playing at being the Don of his ancestors. It was in debt when the earthquake emptied the lake.”

“You will find Henry de Castillo not like that. He came out here a few years ago working wherever there were cattle. When the problem came up about nearly losing the grant, Don Pedro promised Henry his daughter’s hand if he could save it from going out of the de Castillo ownership.  Hank, as we have always called him, searched the thousands of acres on the grant and got together enough cattle to sell to pay to have the boundaries and the grant certified solidly in the de Castillo name.

“Don Pedro thought that would be the end of it, but then it was found that certain fees needed to be paid to the new American government. Neither Hank nor Don Pedro had any money so Hank traveled east to ask of his sister and those she was partnered with for funds to pay the fees and pay the lawyer whom he had hired. He had thirty days only to accomplish this. It took him five days to reach us and within thirty-six hours he was back on the train with the money and with friends who were to stave off anyone who objected to Henry paying all of the money required.”

“When Don Pedro yesterday foolishly charged a well-armed outlaw with only a sword, Hank was right beside him and killed another two outlaws that were reaching for their guns. I was on the move, but this happened very fast and Don Pedro was in luck to kill the man whom he was facing.

“Don’t sell Henry short. There wasn’t many fourteen-year-olds who rode for the Pony Express, but Hank was one of the best. Everyone you see here had their hand in teaching Hank to become what he is and we are proud of what he has become. Hank is sticking with cattle and horses. You will be feeding our Indians beef, when before they had to settle for a bit of corn for food.”

Sylvio asked, “May we camp here tonight? We have traveled far. Tomorrow we journey to the lake and gather the Indians together to build a more permanent village?”

“Harry and I are going up there in the morning. We will ride together. Sylvio, would you like to bed down in one of the rooms tonight?”

“You are generous, but no, I will sleep in the stables at the presidio and be comfortable.”

“Okay for tonight, but I will have a room set up you can call your own when you are in this part of the grant. Do you have family?”

“My wife has been living with friends and will be with them until I can construct quarters near my work for her.”

“She would also be welcome to stay here in the mission while you get organized. Berta and the children would be pleased to have her here. Another question, Do you have funds?”

“Not at the present.”

I looked at Berta and she went inside, coming back handing Sylvio a draw string purse with some coins in it. She received a smile and a soft thank you. I then turned to Pete and Charley and made plans about them leaving tomorrow, taking Jim with them.

Sarah, Jack and Tom saddled up and made ready to go up to the hacienda. I handed Jack a sketch of where the cut was to be made to get to the river. I also included some details of what the land was like that needed to be transformed into a channel for the new river bed to move water to the dry lake.

That night, lying in bed with Berta, I said, “Sweetheart, I have never really doubted myself, but I have been worried about the wisdom of taking on the work of making the grant productive. I believe my prayers were answered when Sylvio stepped down off his horse and explained who he was. He evidently loves this grant, probably even more than Pedro. He will be someone we can work with and we’ll make sure he has a home for the rest of his life. I’ll learn from him just like I learned the freight business from Jack.”

“You have a lot of Indians to boss too. That old one on the burro doesn’t look like he will live very long.”

“You never know Berta, but I think our life just got a lot more interesting and this will be a great place to bring up our kids. There will always be something for them to learn and they just might want to make their life here when their Ma and Pa are old and decrepit.”

“Brady, you aren’t old and decrepit now. Any ideas?”

———————

In the morning, we learned that one of the Indians, who was not mounted, had disappeared and I questioned Sylvio. His answer, “I sent word to my wife that we would be now living here on the grant and I have been engaged to take up work on my beloved land. My wife is much younger than I am and has never been on the grant before. You have offered a room and she may stay with you until I build us a home.”

“She will be welcomed.”

I was anxious to get up to the old lake area. I assumed this was where all of the Indians I had seen on the day of the wedding would now be gathered. Sylvio agreed that this was likely. He grinned and I knew he must have information that I didn’t have. Harry, Sylvio, the old Indian who rode the burro, and I mounted up and headed there after eating a breakfast. The Indians who were walking had started out before us and when we came even with them, we rode on, paying them no attention.

The speed of the burro set the pace and it was nearing noon when we reached the empty lake. All the Indians gathered around Sylvio and the old Indian on the burro. They were laughing and shouting with happiness.

Harry and I pulled to one side. The women must have remembered that I had sent water to relieve their thirst, for bowls of water were offered to us. We had the women and children gathered around us. We dismounted and I was in amongst twenty or more children jabbering at me.

I had been here a week ago and at the time there was no sign of inhabitants at all.  Now, on the north side of the empty lake, hovels of sticks and mud had begun to take form. They were in an orderly placing of a half circle. We walked the three hundred yards there and Sylvio made a speech. There was a subdued cheer when he finished. He motioned to Harry and me to sit on the ground while food was brought to us.

When finished, we traveled by foot over the mile where I had thought the new watercourse should be. “Brady, you know we can dig out the old water course which I believe would be best. When the river is turned into it again, the sides won’t wash away and fill the lake with mud. It will take some digging. It could be cleared right up to where the upheaval is. I suspect that will have to be blasted for even from here I can see ledges and huge rocks.”

“What do you need to get started?”

“About twenty-five shovels I would think. If you could find a couple of those scoops that could be drawn by horses will come in handy. This will save loading the dirt onto wagons carrying it to where it won’t wash into the lake.”

“I’ll find what you need. It will be a few days.”

“That’s fine. The Indians can get their homes built. Come, I’ll show you where the old river bed is. I think you will agree with me that this is the way to proceed.”

“Sylvio, you speak English quite well.  Your cousin, the Don doesn’t. How come”

“That’s because Pedro’s time and efforts have all been taken up with being a proper Don. I am more of the world in real time, I and have associated myself with many people.  I speak several languages and that is why I am able to converse readily with the Indians. It is a great asset.”

“I agree.”

“I have never been recognized fully by my cousin, but it has been I who kept him out of the poor house. His lands would have gone years ago from his foolish habit of gambling. I suppose I am as proud to belong to such a big grant as Pedro. I just never felt it did any good to strut and brag and gamble its assets away.”  Sylvio reflected for a minute and then changed the subject. “This young man Henry who married Elena, what is he like?”

“He is very young, ambitious, and as capable as he is ambitious. If he is fully at the helm of the grant and you have no need to worry about the grant being broken up. He has given over to us, his friends, partnership to manage portions of it and we are of like mind as he. Hank and Elena, I’m sure will welcome you as I take it that you not friendly with Pedro. Without you, I don’t believe our dreams of a good and satisfying life will come to be. The first chance you get, you should visit with Hank and Elena. They will receive you with a most hearty welcome.”

“From the conversation yesterday, I gathered that the beautiful Charley is sister to Henry?”

“That’s correct. She and her husband, Pete owned 20% of the outfit we just sold. She still does for that matter. Through hard work, she earned it. Jack Abram and Sarah own 25% and Berta and I own the rest. Charley earned hers and Jack came into the freight outfit with 10% for his expertise in freighting. Sarah was given 15% for the wreck of the freight company that came to her after I killed her husband.”

“It sounds like your affairs together are pretty well tangled up?”

“They are and I don’t see that they ever will be untangled.  We all work to our own strengths. None of us are greedy and we do take pay yearly for our personal wealth which isn’t shared.  I have no idea how much Jack is worth or Charley either. Berta and I keep our own counsel. I suppose the banker back in Cheyenne would know. Someday he may show up here and I hope he does for he has helped us all figure out the perplexing problems we have all had to deal with.

“When it comes time for Hank and Elena to formally join in our partnership we would need that same banker for advice. Know that Hank will give it his all every day and will never suggest our association level would change. He is our friend.”

“And Don Pedro: What about him? Will he come in with you?”

“No, he has nothing we can’t get along without. He gave us Elena and we will give him a home. He may tell everyone he still is the Don, but I believe the mantle has been passed to his daughter and it really is cherished by her, as it should be. Berta and I watched the Indians when Elena walked among them on the day she was married to Hank. Obeisance was shown to her.”

“I think the grant will be safe now if this Hank is the man you say he is.”

Sylvio turned to walk away. “Hank is the man I say he is. Sylvio.” He turned back to hear me. “Sylvio, I believe I saw some of the same obeisance displayed toward you by the Indians when we rode up. I’m confident the grant will soon be what we both hope it will be.  I’m leaving now and I’ll be back as soon as I can round up the shovels we need.”

 I mounted my horse. I was half a hundred yards away when Sylvio spoke, “Brady, about obeisance. I saw twenty children gathered around you with many women offering water to quench your thirst. I believe a mite of that same obeisance was being shown to you.  Have a good trip.”

————————

Within two days, everyone was out doing the necessary things to start the grant onto the road to make it great again. Hank and Elena we didn’t see. They had holed up on their honeymoon.  It was on the grant somewhere but only for them to know. I had no doubt that Indians knew, for Delores told us that Elena’s personal maid left the hacienda every day with a basket of food.

Charley and Pete along with Jim headed for the coast to a settlement. Jim was to introduce Charley to a captain named Shaw who had been sailing to the south and bringing back shiploads of guano, the fertilizer we needed. We agreed that this would be Charley and Pete’s operation. Charley had thought of building a small shipping company. Eventually she would be taking the grant’s produce up to San Francisco, the best available market.

Before they left, Jim said, “You know this village on the bay where Captain Shaw has his ship isn’t in very good shape.  Two years ago a heavy wind and storm came ashore and pretty much wrecked the village. All of the warehouses have been damaged and many of the homes and other businesses. The bay also had some damage. The wind drove the waters in and where the pier is, it has filled the anchorage with sand and mud so ships can’t tie up there anymore.

“We’ll take a look at it and decide if it is what we want. Talking to this Captain Shaw may tell us.

Jack, Tom, and Sarah were headed north searching to find a construction company to open up the waterway to the now dry lake bed.  We were hoping to get this done so when the winter rains came water would begin flowing. We knew it would take several months before the lake filled.  The winter would provide snow melt next spring to complete this process.

Berta had the four young children to look after while making our home more comfortable. Me, I hitched up a wagon and went to some of the small villages around the exterior of the grant for hand tools.  The Indians who were building homes around the lake bed needed shovels and small tools to build homes.  They needed homes to live in while getting ready to start the rebirth of one part of the grant that had been destroyed by the earthquake.

I found what I needed for tools and headed directly across the grant, not going back to the mission first. I was in luck, finding what I needed. I didn’t get as many shovels as I wanted, but I did get several picks and pry bars.  I also found two rusty scoops that could be pulled by horses or mules to save a lot of shoveling when the soil was loose enough.

I was back at the presidio by evening the next day. Robby met me and screamed at me, “You left me with women and babies and I want to be with you. Next time you leave I’m going with you.”

“Okay, but you have to do what I say. You may not like what it is.”

“I’ll do anything. Oh, we have another woman here. She said she was Sylvio’s wife. She is not very old and awful homely. She and Mom talk in a different language. I have no idea what they are saying. Her name is Marta.”

“She must be from Poland. That is where your mother is from originally.”

“I guess so.”

Berta had been busy. Delores had sent down a couple of Indians to help clean some of the rooms of the mission better than the way they were when we arrived. The wooden window sashes had shrunk and sand often sifted in around the edges. Something had to be done about them. I went inside to meet Sylvio’s wife.

She looked at me and asked, “Sylvio?”

“Sylvio is up by the lake with the Indians. I’m sure the Indian who brought you here knows where that is.  If not, I can take you up there tomorrow.”

“No, he said for me to stay here. Berta has given me nice room and she say I could eat with the family.  You have such beautiful children.”

“We think so.” I turned to Berta, “Berta, I found the tools that Sylvio asked for.  He will begin tomorrow clearing a portion of the old waterway to the lake. We won’t have to pay a construction outfit for that anyway.  All of the Indians will soon have shelters. He has done something that I never thought of.  He has the toilets quite far away from the living area. I should have thought of it because cholera is what killed so many people on the way to California. The North Platt River was just a sewer from the many travelers and their livestock. The cholera was what killed Charley and Hank’s mother and father.”

“What water are the Indians using for drinking and cooking?”

“The same wells they used when they lived there before. They are very large and very deep right in the village and have been cleaned already. I do need to get new rope to replace the ones they are using for one looks rotten. Remind me in the morning if you will.”

“You’re going back tomorrow?”

“I am. Robby can go with me if he wants to.”

“That’ll make him happy.”

“I’ll take the wagon with my horse hitched behind.  Sylvio needs the wagon and I’ll leave it and ride my horse back. It’ll give me a chance to answer all of Robby’s questions. He has the most inquiring mind of anyone I ever knew.”

“That’s good isn’t it?”

“That’s why I’m taking him.”

Charley and Pete Downs

Pete and Charley took a road toward the coast. It had been agreed among the partners that the de Castillo Grant would need to have a presence on the sea coast. Jim said the coastal town where he had been staying had a small bay and at one time had docks where small boats could be loaded and unloaded. Much of these on the waterfront were in disrepair though. There were warehouses that were in the same shape. One complex of these had been abandoned.  Charley was to see what could be used if this where she settled.

It was late in the evening when they arrived. Jim knew of a boarding house where she could rent rooms for the night. Jim led them to a nice appearing house that had a sign on it “Travelers Welcomed.”  Pete engaged a room for a week. Jim, with them still, was satisfied to bed down in the stable used for the guest’s animals. He had in the past. He put up the horses when Pete and Charley went inside.

The owner, Kate, was a widowed woman and very talkative, “You are the only guests I have had this week. Shipping has moved away from this port. The waterfront is decimated badly. Mostly because the bay has filled in and needs dredging. The dock is still there and solid except it needs new planking. My husband was a captain and pushed the town to help keep things in repair. He died at sea a few years ago and with no one to push it; well you’ll see for yourself.”

Charley asked, “What is the waterfront like?”

“Everything is in poor shape. The warehouses are ready to fall down, where years ago before when the Californios owned the land, they were kept full. Now cargo has to be brought in from far out in the bay by lighter and dockworkers are hard to find to unload because it isn’t steady enough for them to stick around.”

“Do you know a Captain Shaw?  I heard he might move some goods for us.”

“I know him well. He used to stay here.  He sleeps on one of his ships now. He had one ship repaired but can’t pay the bill. Also, the ship he still owns has an attachment from the court on it for the same bill. The only way he can pay his bill to free both up is to go to sea to get cargo to fill his holds. It won’t be long before he will have to walk away, leaving his two ships to whoever will pay to get them out of hock.”

“Why doesn’t he sell one ship for the bill and free up the ship he has left?”

“Stubborn, I guess and he’d find it difficult to clear the bill. ’Course the bill is high and this ship here needs new sails and some small repairs too. If he had planned right he would have had the one that needed the least repairs done first then he would have been okay. Now he has neither.”

“I’d like to talk to him anyway. Where would I find him?”

“Probably at the Bloody Bucket any time after noon tomorrow. That’s a dive down on the waterfront. He eats there.”

“One of us will look for him. Thank you.” We went up to our room, with the reminder following us up the stairs that Kate served breakfast in the morning. We were hungry, but didn’t want to ask. We were tired enough so we knew we would sleep.

Pete and Charley were talking about what we had learned from Kate when there was a knock on the door. It was Kate. She had a tray that held a pot of tea, a loaf of warm bread, and a pot of butter. There were two mugs on it.

“Hi, your Jim came to the door asking for a slice of bread.  He said you hadn’t eaten. You should have told me. I know Jim. He’s a nice boy. Where did you meet him?”

“He rode into the de Castillo Grant with some outlaws a few days ago.  That was a mistake on their part.  Luckily, Jim didn’t get hurt when there was an altercation. He is the one who told us about Captain Shaw. That’s why we are here so we can talk about shipping in the future. We think Jim is as nice as you appear to think.  Thank you so much for the snack. We’ve missed a meal before at times, but we really do appreciate the food.”

“I’ll leave it to you. I’ll plan on a hearty breakfast for all of you. Goodnight.” Kate backed out of the room.

“I like that woman.” 

Pete laughed, “You like most everyone. Most people like you too.” Charley was quiet while they were consuming the bread and tea. You’re thinking about our little one, aren’t you?”

“How can I help not? I’m glad it is Berta who is taking care of Daniele. I don’t want to spend more than a week here.  She seems so far away, though.”

“Berta will treat her as her own. She’ll be okay.”

“Sometimes I wish we had waited another five years before having a child.”

“Charley, I’m glad we didn’t because Daniele is such a joy.  I never thought I would ever have kids. Up until the time Brady brought you home, I never thought I would have a wife. I’m so happy now and life is wonderful.”

“Me too, Pete.”

Jim was in having breakfast when we came down. “Kate, we slept wonderfully in the feather bed. The night before, we slept under the stars on the ground. I miss my baby although she is well taken care of. It will be another week before I hold her again.”

“How can you leave her with anyone when she is that young?”

“Not easy, but then my life hasn’t been that easy. I do have wonderful friends who  have been with me since I was fifteen.  My brother is three years younger than me and we became orphans when our parents died during the trip west. The woman who is taking care of my baby now took us under her wing, while her husband  saved me from getting into the hands of a terrible person.

“I’m here, I guess you could say, on a mission for this man. His name is Brady Boyd, who was just a few weeks married to Berta, his wife, when he rescued me. Brady took my brother and me in and saved us from a bad situation.  Then there is the older couple, Jack Abrams and Sarah Frechette, both in business with Brady and Berta. That was the day I found my Uncle Harry. My family hadn’t heard from him for years and there he was working with Brady. With him were two of his friends Pete Downs and Tom Samson. Pete is now my husband.

“My brother, Henry, had a bit of wanderlust. He rode for the Pony Express from beginning to end. He then followed the wind out here to California. With Hank’s new wife, we have all banded together into a combined unit to make a living for ourselves. Pete and I are here looking to put together one part of what we think we need to make it so.”

“How can you do that?”

“Well, I just mentioned my young brother.  After he finished riding for the Pony Express he got wandering feet and ended up here in California on the de Castillo Grant. The old Don was about to lose it because it was mortgaged. Henry and the Don’s daughter, Elena, fell in love. Don Pedro promised that he could wed Elena if he could save the Don’s land grant so Elena wouldn’t have to leave the only home he and she had ever known.

“Back before in Wyoming, several of us had been in a combined partnership for a few years, so we were able to come up with the financing and the grant was saved. Hank and Elena’s wedding was the day that Jim entered our lives a short number of days ago. Now we want to make the de Castillo Grant something great again that will live on and give us a good living and a home to raise our families.

“We have divided up the work to make it possible.  Berta and Brady are going to grow crops. My brother and his new wife are going to raise cattle and horses. Sarah and Jack, the older couple will find something to do while living at the original hacienda with the old Don. Jack is only sixty and is still young enough to start something profitable.

“What are you going to do for your part?”

“I’m here on the coast looking for a way to move what we need from here to there.  I owned and managed part of two huge warehouses back in Cheyenne. I may do the same here if I can find something suitable to look to the grant’s needs. That’s why I want to talk with this Captain Shaw to see if he can be of any help. Jim told me that the captain transported fertilizer from the Baja peninsula before his ships were impounded because he couldn’t pay the repair bill. Brady wants this fertilizer to bring the fields back into top production.

“We are hoping with this Captain Shaw and us together we could be of some help to each other.”

“How big is this grant?  You’d have to have an awful lot of land for businesses of any great size.”

“We do. There are several thousand acres in the grant. Henry, my brother, is the new Don, and he has taken the de Castillo name.  Originally, our name was Horshack but his is now de Castillo. I suspect that name will be around this part of California for years to come, if not for centuries.  That is another reason Don Pedro asked Henry to give up his name and become the new Don with the same name as the grant.”

Kate looked at Pete and Charley.  We were wondering what she was thinking. We couldn’t have guessed correctly. “Charlena, why don’t you send Jim down to the Bloody Bucket or out to Captain Shaw’s ship and have him meet here instead of amongst a lot of men.  You can use the sitting room or even here at the dining table if you wish.”

Jim spoke up, “I’ll be glad to go. I’ll catch him before he gets to the Bloody Bucket.”

“Jim, is he a drunkard?”

“No. he never drinks while on his ship. He’ll be cold sober for sure.”

“Go then; we’ll stay here and talk to Kate. I hope it won’t be long because I want to see what the docks and what the warehouses are like. Jim, don’t you be telling the Captain any of what you have heard since you’ve been with us.”

“I won’t, I’d be afraid the new Don would shoot me if I did.”  He was grinning when he said this.

Kate picked up on this.  “What do you mean, Jim?”

“These people on the de Castillo Grant don’t mess around, Kate. The outlaws who made me hold their horses rode into the courtyard at the hacienda right after Hank and Elena’s wedding.  The guests hadn’t even eaten yet. They were robbers and set about to do just that. Two minutes later, the old Don had run one outlaw through the throat with his sword and the new Don had shot and killed the leader and one other man.

“Brady killed two more, and I don’t know if it was Tom or Pete killed the last one. All six outlaws were dead in that short time. I was afraid I was next and started to ride away, but Harry caught me and took me down to the stables away from the carnage and fed me. Brady had figured out when we rode in that I wasn’t part of the gang.”

Kate looked at Charley, “Is this true?”

“Every bit of it. We didn’t expect this much violence here in California. In and around Cheyenne it was often pretty wild and the idea of less danger here beckoned us when Henry described the grant. I have no doubt but what word has got around that we aren’t to be messed with. At least the sheriff said it would be.”

“I imagine.”

“Pete, do you want to go with me when I look for Captain Shaw?”

“Sure Jim, I’ll tag along. Is there anything you want me to bring back, Sweetheart?” Charley shook her head no. “Miz Kate, do you need anything?”

“No.”

The boarding house was a few streets from the ocean. Pete asked Jim, “Are we close enough to see the ocean? I’ve never seen one before.”

“Sure, we’ll look before we go searching for the captain.”  Jim led the way toward the docks. “You won’t like the smell of the ocean. You have to get used to it. When the tide is out you’ll see some mud flats and they stink.  You must know what fish smell like?”

“Just small fish that I caught when I was a kid. Sometimes when we were traveling up the Missouri people would catch some. Yeah, I guess I know what they smell like.”

“There’s also a lot of offal thrown off the docks. There was a large slaughterhouse near here before the storm. The refuse and guts are supposed to be taken far out in the ocean and dumped, but some of it washes in. That adds to the odor. Not so much business at the slaughterhouse now … just for the locals. There is always a lot of seaweed too and you might find that unpleasant.”

“I guess you have never been in a barn where fifty cows have been tied up have you? You have to get up close and personal taking care of them. Calf pens are even worse.”

“No, I guess not.”

Jim took Pete down to where they could look out onto the bay. It was small and the banks surrounding it further out were low. Not the ideal anchorage. One area to the south held several abandoned ships, many rotting away.  Half-way across the bay there was an anchored ship.

“That’s one of the captain’s ships. It is called a schooner. His other ship is a brigantine and is just about as large as any ship that can get into this harbor. Do you see the orderly line of poles sticking up out of the water?  Those are called piles. There are supposed to be planks on them and is an extension of the dock and is called a pier.

“Before the bay filled in with dirt and sand, the ships would sail right up beside it to be unloaded or loaded.  Of course, the high wind and surging tide tore the planks off the pier during the storm. As it is now, the goods in a ship have to be offloaded onto small boats and then unloaded onto the docks. It drives the cost of the goods up terribly.”

“You did say a hurricane. What happened and why?”

"The storm hit here about two years ago washing away a couple sand bars that narrowed the harbor entrance.  In one way that was good because it widened the opening.  However, the sand ended up in and around the pier so ships can’t get to it. Sometimes the captain has difficulty if he runs the ship aground. He has to measure the depth coming into the bay every pass because the floor is always changing.  So far he hasn’t been aground that long. He has to wait for the wind to change. Usually though, he isn’t stuck hard enough so when he has offloaded, the ship will float free.”

“Can’t that be corrected?”

“Sure, but it would take a lot of money for a dredging company to come in and clear the silt so a ship can get close enough to tie directly to the pier again. It would save at least 50% in labor for each loading or unloading.

“That wasn’t the worst of the hurricane. It destroyed the pier and damaged several of the warehouses. That’s what put Captain Shaw in the hole so he can’t pay his bills. The same thing happened to the businesses that owned the property near the docks. Too expensive to buy goods and store them.  The customers finally went away.” Jim was looking intently toward the ship. “I think the captain is coming ashore now.  There are two sailors getting the tender ready.”

There were five men in the boat as it headed for the dock … four of them manning oars. “That’s Captain Shaw. He eats ashore when he is in port.”  It didn’t take long for the small boat to reach them. The captain jumped out and climbed the steps to where we were standing. He spoke first, “Jim, where in hell have you been?  I haven’t seen you for more than a month?”

“It’s a long story, Cap’n. Tell you about it later. Miz Kate at the boarding house is making you breakfast.  She’s waiting on you. This here is Pete Downs. He and his wife Charley will be sitting with you. They are interested in talking to you.”

The Captain grinned, “I have the time if it doesn’t take longer than a couple of weeks. My ships are still tied up by the courts.” The captain knew where he was going and struck off with a slightly rolling gait followed by Pete and Jim, leaving the four sailors to find their own breakfast. They soon were approaching the boarding house. The captain never hesitated and opened the door and went in with everyone following.

Pete looked at Charley with open eyes as always. Today she had on a blouse of tan and a kirtle that came down to just above her ankles. She had laced leather shoes of a darker shade. Her hair was combed away from her face and had a slight curl in it.  Love for her washed over Pete.

Miz Kate made the introductions and then began bringing platters of side meat, eggs, and potatoes to the table.  There was fresh baked bread and a large pitcher of coffee placed at hand.”

Captain Shaw dug in and proved to be a hearty eater. When he leaned back after crossing his knife and fork on his plate, he asked. “I take it I’m here for a reason.  Jim must have told you people of my situation. I have ownership of two ships, a brigantine and a schooner, but at present they have been impounded because of some overdue bills.”

Charley answered, “Jim did speak about your problems. He also told us that you had transported guano from down south to ports up and down the coast. I may have some of the same type of work for you if you can free your ships to go to sea. In fact, I would like to put you under contract to transport what we need now and in the future. I also think I may be of help to you in many other ways as well.

“First though, how much money do you need to clear your ships and satisfy the courts?”

Captain Shaw began to list what his repair bill amounted to and what repairs had been done. “She’s a fine ship and now in great shape.  She has new sails, sheets, and equipment and her hull has been cleaned. The brig should be good for several years. The smaller, faster schooner I’ve been calling home needs new sails and sheets.  I’ve two years from her since her hull was last cleaned. She is good for a few more years before that has to be done again.”

“One question comes to mind, how do you captain both ships if both are at sea?”

“I have a Mister Warren who has captain’s papers and is qualified to captain either ship. Which one he is on is determined by what the voyage is.”

Charley was negotiating by jumping around with her questions.  She asked several more about sailing and the ships, themselves. Then she hit him with, “How much do you owe and how much to put the second ship in top shape?”

The captain, I’m sure, knew how much it would take to clear his ships. Charley was looking at him intently so he wouldn’t have time to add to the amount. The captain hesitated though, and then quoted a figure. It was a very large amount. Charley didn’t say anything just sitting back thinking. “What is your chance of ever saving your ships without some help?”

Captain Shaw looked sheepish, “Honestly, not much, but I do need a place to bunk.  It is inevitable that I’ll probably lose both.”

“So if someone came along and would pay the charges, would you give up a three quarter ownership in them?”

“I’d have to think about it some.”

“Ten minutes?”

“What’s ten minutes?”

“Ten minutes to think about it.”

“That’s pretty steep.”

“It is, but think about what would you gain from association with us?  I can think of a few. That way you would still own a quarter of your ships and you have a permanent bunk to sleep on. You would still be known as a ship’s owner and not an on-the-shore has-been.”

“There’s something said for that. Who’s this person who may bail me out?”

“It wouldn’t be single person. The de Castillo Grant would be the major owner of record. The de Castillo Grant came into my brother’s hands when he married the heir to the grant.  We together saved the grant and we might be able to save your ships.”

“How long before you know?”

“Maybe a week. There is one restriction, though. You are not to mention that a deal is pending. For right now, I would provide a written note of intent to purchase a three-quarter ownership in your ships. Miz Kate can witness it. She will have the same restriction about telling no one until this is finalized. Two more questions, One, how long will it take to get the ship you are sleeping on in shape? Two, can you get sailors to crew both ships?”

“Where I have the ship that is impounded they own a sail loft with everything in stock. It will take just a few days to cut and sew sails to size and shape for the schooner. I can have a crew available to crew the impounded ship within five days I would think.  Enough time for the ship I am on by the time we receive the sails. I’ll put the word out for a crew.  The first job for the full crew is to string the new sails and sheets.”  Captain Shaw thought for a minute and then asked, “Don’t you want a lawyer to make out this note you spoke about?”

“Yes, but, not yet. I’m just going to speak to a banker I know for financing. My partners at the grant aren’t too trusting of attorneys.”

“I can understand that, but the one I use has been honest with me so far. He has argued my case before the court and has already managed an extension of more time before I lose the ships.”

“Okay, Captain Shaw, we’ll continue this when I get back from the grant. Today though before I leave, would you walk down with me to the shoreline to see what is available for a ware house to store what we will be bringing in on our ships?”

“Our ships?”

“Our ships. Every time one of our ships comes in it will contain a 25% share for you because of our partnership. It will be my job to make sure they come in full and often.”

“How do you know this?”

“Because in this I am the Grant’s representative. I managed two big warehouses, selling both wholesale and retail from them. I did the ordering to fill them and I did the selling to empty them. The grant will be about as far from here as I will look for customers, but there are many businesses and holdings in the fifty mile radius between here and there. That will be my customer base.”

“There are some abandoned warehouses near the docks.”

“Jim mentioned them. Those are what I want to look at.” Maybe they can be bought for back taxes.”

Kate spoke, “Oh, that is something that is always a topic of discussion. Ever since the storm came ashore people have been leaving town. There is hardly any business or work to keep people here.  Case in point, you are my only patron, when years ago I would have to turn people away for the night.  I’ll bet I can find out what you want to know before you get back from looking at the warehouses.”

The captain was curious about the people who wanted to help him escape the dismal future, as he saw it. They were actually going to provide a way to get his ships into his hands again. The ocean had been his life and he would be able to continue.

There had been a deep water anchorage next to a good solid pier and at one time this was a busy port. The storm had changed that in a few hours, wiping out the pier, many of the warehouses, and even worse for the shipping, was the filling of the bay of sand and mud.

There were parts of three huge warehouses end to end fronting the bay.  Behind these there were sheds that had a roadway between these and the warehouses.

The captain talked, telling of how the town used to be and of how much damage the storm had done. “This complex was owned totally by one firm.  They came and looked at it two days after the hurricane. Discouraged, they loaded up some of their equipment and disappeared. The town waited a year and marked them as abandoned. You might get them for a song if you were to rehabilitate them.  It will take an awful lot of money though.”

Pete and Charley walked inside what had been the interior, examining the framework and foundations. People had torn off some of the board on the sides. The roofs facing the long sides on the dock had been torn off by the high winds. Pete and Charley went behind the buildings and looked up seeing that roof slope on that side of the roofs were still solid and tight. Some of the roofing that had been ripped away from the front faces had landed on the sheds and flattened them.

Again the captain volunteered information. “Everything that was salvageable was taken by scavengers. That is why there isn’t much two-year-old trash inside. People didn’t realize how bad this storm was for the town until everything salvageable was gone and nothing was coming in. It has been just a couple of months short of two years now and Kate and I figured by next spring there won’t be a hundred souls left. There used to be upwards of fifteen hundred people here before the hurricane hit.”

“Is there still the town administration in place? I need someone to deal with if I decide this is what I want to invest in.”

“Yeah, there still is. Just about everyone in town goes to these meetings. People are still hoping that somehow the town will be saved and return to its former glory. The next meeting is next week, I’ve heard.”

Charley sat down on one of the warehouse sills. “Captain, would you know where to purchase boards and planks to repair one of these warehouses.  We would do one at a time as needed. I guess the roof will have to be shakes. The sides can be board and batten. I’ve heard that redwood lasts a long time. We will be needing planks for the pier as well. That’s going to be costly, but it has to be done.”

“Yeah, there is a yard and mill between here and San Francisco I’ve bought from before. You get my brig out of hock and that will be my first destination.”

“Pete and I will figure up what we need to order.  We supervised the building of two warehouses where we were last.  Captain, maybe you can tell us what size the planks for the pier need to be.”

“Miz Downs, I can do that.”

“Captain, call me Charley. How do you feel about the attorney that you used in court?”

“He’s done as well as he could. He seems pretty well respected.”

“I guess you had better retain him for me in the Grant’s name. He doesn’t need to know what we intend until I come back after talking to my partners.” Charley stopped talking and sat thinking. Then, “Jim, I think I’ll have you find the road to San Francisco and see if you can find Jack and Sarah. I’ll write a letter for you to give to them.  They are looking for a construction company to turn a creek into its old channel. They might as well see if they can contact a dredging company to dredge a channel for Captain Shaw’s ships here in the bay.”

Pete objected, “Charley, why don’t I do that?  Jim can go with you back to the grant.  I can explain better than you can with a letter. Brady and Berta should know what you have found here. I suspect we will want to talk to George Cosgood about financing if we need some.  With all that is going on, I don’t think we can handle it all by ourselves. We’ll have to write some letters and wait for the answers.”

“Pete, that’s a good plan. Captain, would you ride with me and help me explain all of this to Brady and Berta, my other partners. We’ll plan on staying at the Grant until we can have a meeting to finalize everything. I want to pick your brain about what you used to bring into this port for goods and who was buying.  I’ll set Jack and Sarah out to talk to people about trading with us when this all comes together.  That way Captain, we will be selling as fast as you can bring it to the warehouse.”

“You’ll have to find me a horse.”

Kate spoke, “You can use mine. He’s big and doesn’t get enough exercise.”

“You’re a big help, Kate.”

“You’re in luck, I think.   I just remembered, the town fathers are forgiving past taxes on property if a new business comes in. The first year you get a break, and maybe longer. They keep the assessment on the land only and not on the buildings. That said; there isn’t much hope that there will be many new businesses.”

“That will help us at the start until we get up and going. If we pay to have the pier planked, the anchorage dredged, let it be used for public then maybe the town will split some of the usage fees with us.”

Captain Shaw glanced at Charley, “You’re pretty sharp you know. I’m going to let you do the dickering on my bill when we go to get my ship out of hock. If you have cash, they should shave the bill a few pennies.”

“I should hope so.”

Pete asked, “When should I start out to look for Jack? I think I should leave right after lunch. Charley, I think Jim should come with me.  You’ll be safe enough with Captain Shaw.” He turned to the captain and asked, “You will be armed won’t you?”

“Yes, I have a brace of pistols in the tender. I’ll talk to the crew and tell them I’ll be gone for a few days and not to let anyone come aboard. I still have 20 days before I have to give up the ship to the court.”

Charley asked, “You’re that close to losing your ships?”

“Yes, and I’m hoping you can come through by that time. That is why I’m agreeing to letting you have so heavy a portion of the ship’s ownership.”

“I’m positive I can come up with enough to stave this off for another 30 days. We might as well leave after lunch too. It looks like every minute counts.”

“I’ll get your lunches.  I hate to see you go. It’s been so nice having you here.  Captain, I’ll miss you too.”

“Kate, about missing someone … I’ll miss you and maybe we should sit down and talk about some things.”

“Just maybe we should. You get back to sailing and I’ll get to having boarders again so maybe you’d like a bed ashore and we could get together.”

“I’ll be to sea some of the time,”

“I was married to a sea captain years ago; I know what it is like.”

“We will talk then when I get back into town.”  Both stood looking at each other and then came together for a hug. Both their faces were red.

Pete and Jim took off. Charley had a minute alone with Pete. “Pete, ask Jack to contact George Cosgood and see if he can wire us the rest of our personal funds. Explain to Jack what we’ve found here and how promising it is if we can get a lot of it into our control. What we really need is for a bank to believe in us the way George Cosgood did. We will need an account with a good bank and our personal funds deposited there should do it.”

“Captain Shaw mentioned that it would take thousands of dollars to pay the dredging bill. The bill on his ship repairs will be half that. Then there is the cost of the lumber to re-plank the pier. That will be expensive.  I hope I run into Jack. All in all, we need a lot of money to get where we need to be.  How much do we have with George?”

“We have enough I think to swing most of it with what we have put together operating the warehouses and the profit on their sale. Brady still has quite a bit from what we sold the businesses for. We’ll hope so.”

“Pete, take care of yourself.”

“I will. Are you sure Captain Shaw is okay to travel with?”

“Kate says so. He respects women and won’t want to jeopardize the chance to get his two ships back into his hands.”

“Okay, Charley, I know this traveling around is necessary, but I do miss being able to finish up work for the day, go home, have a meal, play with Daniele, and then snuggle into bed with you before going to sleep with our arms around each other.”

“One year, Pete, that’s all it will take.  I want another baby and I hope it will be a boy.”

“I believe you. Kiss me; we have to be on the road soon.  I’m giving myself four days and then I’ll see you at the grant.”

Charley watched Jim and Pete take off.  “Are you ready Captain? We can reach that friend of yours who will put us up for the night.”  Charley had removed her kirtle and replaced it with an over blouse and a vest. She wore the same type of pants that Berta and Sarah wore when working. Kate waved as they mounted and left.

It was nearing dark when Captain Shaw led them into a yard, two thirds into their travel.  Immediately the door opened and an old man, dressed the same as the captain came out. “Shaw, you old mate, welcome aboard.” He looked at Charley, “Who is this pretty lady with you?”

“Captain Rawson, this lady may be the one who will make my troubles all go away. Can Martha put us up for the night? We’ll be leaving early in the morn.”

“Sure, sure, climb ashore and have a cup of grog. Tell me all about what’s happening.”

Martha was a diminutive woman, neat as a pin and welcomed Charley, taking her to a room to freshen up. “Lie down for a bit and I’ll get supper. Those two captains will begin telling lies and won’t bother us until I serve mess. Both will have a headache in the morning, but Captain Shaw will climb aboard and you can be on your way. He was first mate under Rawson and best mate at our wedding.”

Daylight found the two travelers on their mounts and they reached the Presidio at eleven that morning. Danielle toddled out to be picked up as Charley dismounted. Captain Shaw got down and introduced himself to Berta.

“I’m Captain Shaw, and Mrs. Downs and I have been talking about how we can be of benefit to each other. We left the coast yesterday afternoon and stayed with a friend of mine and his wife last eve. She brought me along to explain more fully.  Her husband, Pete has gone chasing after someone named Jack whom she says is another partner. We are hoping all will be here soon because there is a time constraint.”

“I’m Berta Boyd and I’m one of the partners with Charley and Pete. My husband Brady will be in this afternoon and we can talk then.  Brady is more or less the one who makes the final decisions on everything, although the least among us do have a say. I imagine what Charley has to say involves her and Pete personally, but will be of benefit to the grant.  Our main goal since Charley’s brother brought us into this is for each family to set up a business to further the grant in a way to give us all a good living. These businesses are to be a profit to the grant and also to each of us personally.”

Charley, explained a little more. “Brady and Berta had the original business and brought us in to help them. A few weeks ago we sold out and joined my brother here when he was able to secure title to the grant.  We have the money from when Brady and all the partners sold the business and the attached parts so we all have some money personally.”

“I can’t figure out what you are saying except you all may come together when Charley needs funds to purchase what will ultimately help this grant that you keep mentioning.”

“That’s about it, Captain. Now you come in. I’ll have some cool beer raised from the deep cellar and you sit and relax. Charley will be taken with Daniele at two years of age for a while, and the baby needs her mother.”

Berta made lunch with the help of Marta who spoke to her in a different language. There was also an Indian servant who helped. Charley did not help, but she did tell Berta’s two girls all about seeing the ocean and a big boat.  She also said that the ocean smelled worse than the horse stables here at the presidio.

Brady arrived shortly with Robby. Sylvio came with them and he and his wife, Marta, took his meal outside while Berta dished up some food for Brady that had been left over from lunch. 

Brady was curious about why Charley had brought the captain home with him and inquired about where Jim and Pete were.

“I have other good news. A messenger found me and told me that Jack and Sarah had found a construction company to blast a hole through the ridge that blocked the creek from flowing into the lake.  They are already on the road here. They had just finished their last contract. From the description of what I laid out about the work, they anticipated it wouldn’t take more than six days to blast the obstruction and clean it up.  I do have to pay travel time for their equipment one way which will be at least three days and maybe four.”

Captain Shaw asked the name of the company and who the owner was. Brady gave him the name and a pleased look came over the captain’s face.  “I know the owner.  He has already given the town where my ship is anchored an estimate to dredge out the area near the pier.  The town may help with costs a little, if I get my ships back. Some of it is because I am the only ship owner that anchors permanently in the bay.

“What is necessary for Charley and Pete to go forward with me on their project? If Charley will pay the major part of the cost, the town might help get the dredging done. If the bay is dredged where needed, my ship can tie right up to the pier to unload. This would give Charley many advantages to further her designs on rehabilitating the dock side area. The town has been waiting for some one to come along and save its existence.”

Brady looked at Charley and she spoke, “Brady, I was waiting on the rest of our partnership to get here before discussing this. I believe if we can come up with the financing, this is a once in a lifetime situation and it will tie into what we need to make the de Castillo Grant great again.

“Actually, from the looks of the town we still might have to pay the major portion of the dredging. How would you like to own parts of two ships? I’ve made a deal with Captain Shaw already. It still comes down to the money. I’ll have to get in touch with George Cosgood for help with that.”

“We’ll telegraph him as soon as one of us can get to a place and send him a message. I wish he were here now and connected to a bank somewhere close by. Maybe we can talk him into moving out here to San Francisco.  This grant is no small project and we have to convince him to move. With the state solidly in Americans hands, California has to be a growth area which will be profitable for business just like the east coast is.”

 Charley left the mission and went back to the Hacienda. Jim Bellows rode into the yard well after dark, but before Brady had gone to bed. He informed Brady that Jack, Sarah and Pete were staying at the Hacienda and would be down for breakfast. Tom and Harry were with the construction crew going directly to the dry lake. They definitely would meet tomorrow after showing the construction outfit where to set up.

In the morning, everyone returned to the mission and Presidio. Charley and Pete arrived along with Jack. Jack gave more information on the construction company. Pete said he had talked to them about dredging the harbor and learned they knew of what needed to be done to deepen the bay so one of Captain Shaw’s ships could come along aside of the pier. They had quoted a figure.

Charley then went to work composing a telegram to George Cosgood back in Wyoming. There was a town not many miles away from where a telegram could be sent. She intended to send it out in the afternoon. What she was looking for was confirmation that Cosgood would refer her to some bank that she could deal with. In the meantime, all the men now at the presidio headed for the lake to talk to the construction outfit.

Charley headed for the town that had the telegraph station.  She sent a telegram to Cosgood’s bank in Wyoming. An answer soon came back saying George Cosgood no longer was associated with the bank but could be found at a hotel in San Francisco. Charley then sent a telegram to the hotel address.  George Cosgood was not available as he was now traveling to the south looking up former friends.

Charley took this to mean George’s friends would be those here on the grant. Her thoughts were, “I hope George is coming to the grant to see us.” She decided to return to the mission where she had left Daniele with Berta. When she came to go by the Hacienda, Delores and Sarah came out and decided to visit Berta and the mission at the same time. The women sat and gossiped. Marta didn‘t take part in the conversation, but was there listening as Charley explained more fully about her trip to the coast and what she had observed.

“There are some wonderful bargain properties to be had in that town.  There are untold abandoned properties that can be purchased from the town for two years’ worth of taxes. Some of them are bank owned. Others may be written off.”

“Will the bank go under?”

“I don’t think so because the home bank is a large one in San Francisco. They may close the small office if there is no likelihood of business returning to the area. The storm damage seems to be narrowly located around that bay. The surrounding towns were damaged but little. If George Cosgood is coming here, Berta will help me convince him to see about investing if he can get backing from the home bank.”

“I certainly will. You know Brady was feeling rich when we came here, but our assets are fast disappearing.”

“I know and it is all because of my brother. The prospects are great for the grant to be profitable, but it is going to take a long time before money will be coming in instead of going out.”  Charley paused and then grinned, “I wonder how Hank and Elena’s honeymoon is going. God, those two kids are certainly in love.  I wonder how he is going to build up his cattle herd. He sold all the cattle, I believe, when he needed to save the grant the first time before he came to us.

“Delores, how are you doing with Pedro?”

“Pedro has come alive now that he isn’t worrying about saving the grant.  He misses Elena being at the hacienda, but he is pretty happy.”

Berta said with a smirk, “Are you keeping him happy?  You could you know. You might find some happiness with him if you got close enough. He might possibly have a little fire left in him.”

“Berta, how you talk.” Her face flushed and she didn’t say anything, just looking everywhere except at Charley and Berta. Then she straightened her shoulders and said, “Don Pedro asked me to move into his apartment a few days after Elena’s wedding.”

Charley pushed for more, “And did you?”

“Let’s just say, Pedro is happy, I’m happy, and the servants have to make up one less bed. He is going to make sure that the Hacienda is mine when he passes on. I should quantify that. It is mine to do with what I want to do with it except sell it. It is to always be part of the grant. That is the only restriction and an easy one for me.”

“Will you be getting married?”

“Marriage hasn’t been mentioned, but I don’t mind. I have a home for the rest of my life now and not just a hired housekeeper. The church may feel I have sold my soul, but I don’t feel that way.”

“I doubt the church will inquire into your living arrangements. Neither priest we met seemed to be the sort to object if they knew.”

“That’s what Pedro said if I shared his bed.” Delores blushed even more when she said this.

 Berta got lunch for her two girls and went on talking about her family to Delores.  “I’ve lost my son. He has to be with Brady all the time now. Brady is pleased that Robby is interested in what is going on. He explains everything to the boy just like he did to me when we lived in a cave in the Montana Mountains.

“The first time I met Brady he saved my life you know? Once I was deathly ill and he found some herb to bring me out of it. I was a terrible mess and he cleaned me and the horrible mess I was making.  I was so ashamed, but he just said I would have done the same for him.

Berta paused before going on, “Actually, I would have been dead by that time anyway if he hadn’t come along. A terrible man had killed my brother and that left me all alone. The man tried for me, but I killed him and then I was truly alone. I looked up that night from where I was sitting after I did that and there was Brady.  

“I was some scared of Brady when he appeared, but then he said I could try for Fort Laramie or spend the winter with him. He said I had those two choices for the winter but staying with him was the safest.  I didn’t have enough food and I doubt I would have been able to hunt for any.

“Anyway, up until I met him my life hadn’t been that great and my brother treated me like I was his servant. Looking back I don’t think I liked my brother much either. I trusted him when he said we should travel through the mountains to Oregon and see our uncle. He asked how difficult could it be?  Well Brady showed me how difficult it would have been and I surely would have perished. I do love that man!”

As Berta finished speaking the heavy door was pushed open. Hank and Elena stood there with grins on their faces. “Hi Sis, Elena and I have had our honeymoon. We are ready to start our life together now.”

“Good, I was wondering when you would show.”

“We’re set to begin our life now. Hank has had me chasing cows already. Oh, I’ve missed so much in my short life. I feel so alive!”

Delores sputtered, “He has you out on the range?”

“Everyday. We’ve found a lot of wild cows up in the mountains. I found out Hank saved the best bulls when he sold the herd to pay Papa’s debts. Now we need more cows, although we do have the beginnings of a herd. Hank’s cowboys love me and treat me like a queen.”

“Hank, where can you get more cows?”

Hank answered this, “In Mexico, down the coast from Baja I guess, although I might look around here in California at some of the other ranches.  All I need is money to buy and a way to get them up here. I do want better stock than what we found in the last few days, but I have to be satisfied with them and I can slowly build up a herd that is worth more than hide price.”

“Hank, eventually I may have an answer for you, but you may not be first in line getting what you need.  Brady needs things too and what he is doing has already begun.” He’ll be in tonight and we can talk about things and make some decisions.”

“I know Sis, and I don’t mind waiting. You all have helped me get this far by saving the Grant and as long as Elena is by my side we’ll make out. Hey, I’m thirsty. Can I have a glass of beer while we are waiting for tonight?”

“I’d like some wine when you get Hank some beer.”

“I’m sorry, Elena, there is no wine.”

“There must be; there was a whole room full of it here in the mission cellar.”

“Well, I don’t know of it then.”

“Come, I’ll show you.  It is partially hidden. The old Priest at the school gave me directions one time and I take him a bottle occasionally. Follow me.” Delores wanted to stay with the three kids so she didn’t go down.

All followed Elena down two flights to the dark cellar. They had to go slow because there was only one coal oil lantern.  Berta had small casks of beer stacked in the corner of one room where it was nicely cool.  The walls were laid up stone with boards covering the stone in places. There were two wooden tuns in one corner.  “We’ll never use those for wine or beer because they each hold 252 gallons.  I can’t imagine ever drinking that much beer at once.”

Elena walked to one wall with boards and pushed a small cleat. A portion of the wall slid sideways and there was an opening leading into the same size room where we were standing. There were racks of dusty wine bottles ceiling high. “Papa doesn’t drink wine and I’m not sure if he even knows this is here. I’ve never advertised that it is. When the old priest dies, I would have been the only person that would have known of it. I don’t think anyone knows how it can be replaced because there is such a lot of it.”

“Hank, there may be money for your cattle if you have the bottles inventoried and sold it at auction.”

Hank never hesitated, saying, “No, that is part of the grant and if Elena likes it, I wouldn’t think of selling it.” Elena whirled, grabbed Hank and kissed him.

“See why I love my husband? He thinks of me before everything else.”  Hank grabbed one of the casks and Elena a bottle of wine. It was a happy gathering upstairs.

Elena had lost being prim and proper and crawled into Hank’s lap at one point.  Delores made note; “Elena, Don Pedro will be horrified at the way you act. He will expect me to chastise you.”

“I know Delores, but here with my Americano family it is okay. I will act the proper Madam when I’m at the Hacienda with Papa.”

Marta was introduced to Elena and Delores and of course questions followed. “I take ship from my country three year ago. I sign paper to marry husband when I get off ship. Some friends from old country do same. We get on train. Husbands for all of us ride many days and get to end. Husbands waiting for us. My husband bad man, and not treat me good. He wanted slave not wife.

“I meet Sylvio who talk about farming. Husband mad I no have sex with Sylvio when pay money. Sylvio talk to husband. He buy me with money. Sylvio look at married paper. It no good.  Sylvio take me to church, marry me good. I love Sylvio. We farm soon, he promise.”

“Marta, Sylvio may be here tonight.  I think you should be with him so if he isn’t here, I’ll have you taken to where he is. He might not have a home for you yet to live in, but he will soon. I’ll tell Brady to make sure.”

“Thank you.”

The women began gossiping and kidding Elena about her new status as a married woman. Hank went out to the presidio stables and looked around. There were three horses standing in the corral where they had some shade provided by the barn.  Finally, he walked back to the mission. “Hey Sis, I think I’ll ride out and meet Brady. Elena, do you want to go with me?”

“No, Hank, I’m comfortable.”  She didn’t sit still though and got up and followed him outside.  There they kissed … a long kiss. When they broke apart, Charley and the others were watching. Proud, Elena said, “Well what did you expect?” Hank waved and headed for his mount.

Delores said, “I think I had better go back to the Hacienda. Don Pedro must be wondering why I haven’t returned by now. This has been a good afternoon for me. The only other women are Indians up there and I miss my own kind. I’m glad you are back, Sarah.”

“I’m not going up with you yet. I expect Jack will be coming here with Brady so I’ll wait for him.  We will be up tonight sometime, though.”

Berta knew the men would be hungry so she made a huge stew and made some biscuits to go with it. “I’m going to have to get some flour soon. As it is, these are more corn meal than flour.”

Chapter Nine

 It was nearing six when Robby came into the yard and went into the mission. “Hi Mom, Dad is coming. I rode ahead. Hank, Tom, Pete, and Captain Shaw are with him too.”

“Is that all?”

“No, Jim, Uncle Harry, and Sylvio are with them too.”

“Did the construction outfit reach there yet?”

“It has. They have some huge horses, bigger than I have ever seen before. They looked at the place where they are going to work.  Sylvio and the Indians have been working on cleaning out where the water is going to flow. They aren’t done, but I heard the head of the construction crew tell Dad that this won’t be too long of a job.  When he is finished he is going to do some dredging for Captain Shaw so he can get his boat in close to shore.

“Dad asked one of the men how that was going to be done. I guess they have something called a steam tugboat that pulls a bunch of barges out to sea and dumps them after they are loaded.”

“How are they going to load the barges?”

“I don’t know. Dad didn’t ask while I was there. He must know, though.”

Charley answered that she knew, “They have a steam shovel on a barge that drops a claw down into the bottom of the bay and it closes on a bunch of dirt or whatever and pulls it up high enough so it can be swung around and drops the stuff on a barge.  The tugboat then pulls the barges out beyond the bay and dumps them in the open ocean.”

“I wish I could see them do this.”

Berta said, “Maybe Dad will let you go with Pete and Charley for a few days.  We’ll see.  I will ask him.”

“That would be great Mom, I do want to see the blasting going on here first though.”

“The timing will be right for it is all the same company that does both types of construction.”

“Oh boy!  Can I go with you, Charley?”

“It’s up to your father. If he says okay, yes you can.”

The men rode in and Berta had food ready for them. Right after eating, Charley and Pete were headed for the Hacienda for the night along with Elena and Hank. 

Charley spoke before mounting up, “Tomorrow morning, come up for breakfast.  We need to meet and make some decisions on how we are going to proceed.  We only have so much money and we have to decide what is done first and what will have to be put off until later.  Sylvio and Marta, you have to be there too. You are as much a part of this as anyone. Brady needs you to get the growing of farm produce off the ground and you are the most experienced.”

Brady agreed, “Charley is right, I don’t know much about planting vegetables. Then there are the Indians who do the actual work. Sylvio knows them all by name.  It seems like every time I see them together there are more of them. I know there must be more here now than there were a couple of weeks ago.”

Sylvio laughed.  “There are many more. They have all lived here in the past. They consider themselves as much a part of the grant as I am. You putting things back the way they were a few years ago is like a dream come true for them. In essence you are giving them their lives back.”

“Sylvio and Marta, you two can write your own ticket if we are successful in getting the land producing again.” Charley mounted and Berta handed Danielle up to her.

As they clattered out of the yard, Brady said, “We need a spring wagon around here to carry people in. The heavy buckboards are so hard to get comfortable sitting on the bench seats for any great distance.” When reaching the Hacienda, Berta took Brady’s hand, and with the two girls, trooped inside.

Berta knew from Delores that breakfast would be served in the courtyard at 8:00.  Everyone was there on time although there was one seating place set, but empty. The Indian servants brought food out and Delores said to begin eating. As everyone took their first mouthful, Charley spoke. “We have a guest who found our place late last night. He was guided here by one of the Indians from the church where the kids will be going to school.  You’ll meet him later.”

Don Pedro sat at the head of the table with Henry on his right and Elena on his left.  Delores on the end next to the entrance quietly managed the Indian servants going to and from the kitchen. Two plates of sweet rolls came out and placed on the table as one Indian servant went around the table and poured coffee.

————————————

Someone said, “Good morning everyone. I finally made it west and here are my friends all together enjoying breakfast.” Delores motioned for a servant to take George Cosgood’s plate to the kitchen to be filled. While this was happening, George made the rounds of the table shaking hands. Charley, Berta, and Sarah rose from their seats and hugged George.

Brady introduced George to Sylvio and Marta and then Charley introduced Captain Shaw, explaining at the time that Captain Shaw was going to be an integral necessary part of rejuvenating the Castillo Grant. Hank hadn’t known George well, but welcomed him warmly when presenting Elena.

“My dear Henry is now the new Don de Castillo of the Castillo Grant. My father has abdicated in his favor and Henry has taken the de Castillo name. We are young and we look to Henry’s sister and his long-time friends to help make the Grant what it was many years ago.”

George smiled at the beautiful young bride. He bowed slightly and said, “Madam, I very much would like to join you in this endeavor. I have given up my home in Wyoming and hope to make a new one here with my friends. I intend to be of assistance to them if they welcome me.”

“Sir, Henry and I welcome you. Our home is yours as long as you can stay with us.”

“Thank you, I feel welcome already.”

Questions were asked and George answered them speaking directly to Elena why he had decided to transfer to California. “I’m sure you all know this, but I love to run it through my mind how these people have affected me. As you know, my wife died some time ago. I’ve been the banker in Cheyenne for many years. I believe I met Brady and Berta the first or second day they were in town. I thought to myself that the night he won the freight line from Jack, he wouldn’t last long. I also felt sorry for Jack for putting his concern into the pot and he deserved to lose it for making such a foolish move.

“But, I was wrong on both counts. It was exciting for me to see Brady move forward and use the expertise that Jack was willing to show him about how the freight business should be run.  Berta was right there beside him.  And there was the killing of Tay Frechette. The town was wild, but not often did two men meet in the streets to exchange gunfire.

“And that was a good thing, too.  He took care of Frechette’s widow Sarah, and found a way to help make her life happier than she had since her father, who was my good friend, died.  Mainly Berta and Brady were honest. They saved their money so when opportunities came they were able to seize them and go forward. Always thinking of others, Brady saved a couple of youngsters who were no more than orphans. I’m speaking of Charlena and Henry Horshack here, whom Brady and Berta made sure had a home of their own.

“Each, though, were much different with goals far apart, even though they were brother and sister. These two used their hidden strengths. Hank, when only fourteen, became a Pony Express rider and made the most of the job. He carried Brady’s pistol.  I understand, and because of Brady he well knows how to use it. Coming back after eighteen months when the Pony Express closed, wanderlust seized him and he followed his bent to ride wherever his horse was pointed.

“Charley, feeling she might have a debt to pay for being saved by Brady, stuck with Brady and Berta to make their freight line into a being bigger and better business. When it was decided that some warehouse space was needed, Charley said she would see it built and manage the stock coming in on the freight line and going out on the same line.  For more than a hundred miles in every direction, if something moved by freight it was on wagons pulled by the Royal Flush Freight Line.

“There are so many stories I could tell about their successes, but I won’t today.”

Brady interrupted, “So, George, why are you really out here?”

“I’m out here after selling my share of the bank I managed for more than half my life.  Cheyenne isn’t the same any more with all of you leaving town. That’s for me, anyway. I’ll give the business you sold to the syndicate until about this winter and then it will be no more. They have too many bosses and not enough middle management to be a success. You just can’t run a business by committee and that’s their downfall.

“I had a feeling that from what little you told me about this land Grant that you might need some assistance, financial and otherwise. So if you would tell me what you are trying to accomplish, I’ll listen because I’m certainly interested.  Give me some background about the Grant; that would be a start so I can gauge where I can best be of that assistance.  Hank, you started this, tell me all about it.”

“Is it okay to call you George?” George nodded. “I was at loose ends with no real direction when I rode by the Hacienda one day.  I saw a beautiful little lady struggling to water her flowers. I gave assistance. I talked for hours telling her about my travels. Never really ever away from her father’s land grant, she was intrigued about a world of which she knew nothing. I soon became aware that the grant was in financial trouble.  Elena and I sat and talked about how to rescue it. In the meantime we fell in love.

“George, my life is in cattle and horses.  I have a good crew but we lack stock.  There is grazing land for about six times more cattle than I have now.  Elena, the men, and I have been chasing wild cattle out of the up lands. We need to build a home for ourselves and a set of ranch buildings for the men and some for the stock. The graze is the farthest from the Hacienda, which is as it should be. I guess that’s enough to keep us busy for a year or two.  It will be longer than that before we have critters for sale.

“I’d also like to get a good stallion and breed some racing stock, but that will be only after we get a full herd of cattle on the land.”

“Why horse racing?”

“Because Don Pedro, at one time had a small race track out behind the barns here and people came from all over to see horses race. It could be a money maker even if I couldn’t afford to race my own; but we would have a good racecourse.”

“That’s good thinking. That’s how Berta and Brady were such a success by not putting all their eggs into one basket.  Brady, what are you going to concentrate on?”

“I’m putting back into place what had been very profitable before there was an earthquake a few years ago. I have the Indians living here now who belong on the land.  Their ancestors worked the same land. This is their home and they are happy here. Sylvio is a de Castillo and cousin of Don Pedro and is the person who is the farmer.

“He is back now, hoping to resume farming now that I have promised to provide the water he needs to make the grant blossom again with crops. That I have started already to put in place. It is being developed as we sit here discussing it.”

“Please explain?”

“An earthquake changed the direction of a large creek that kept a lake filled, which was used for irrigation. When it dried up, both he and the Indians drifted away because the Grant couldn’t feed them any longer.

“Jack and Tom found a construction company to blast a new riverbed and connect it to where the old one flowed into the lake. Granted there won’t be enough water to fill the lake this year, but there should be by next spring.  In the meantime, Sylvio and the Indians are cleaning the irrigation ditches and working in the grape arbors getting these pruned and back into shape. These are close by but separate from the row crops.”

“You plan on making wine I take it?”

“No, theses grapes turn into raisins. They have to be dried, but they are in much demand for baking or just plain eating. Many Muscat grapes have the same origin going back to the beginning of time, but these grapes are fairly large, very sweet and have crunchy seeds in them. Sylvio says we can get enough cuttings to rejuvenate the vineyard and it won’t be long before they will produce a bounty. There is also a small hybrid Muscat that is seedless, but those raisins aren’t nearly as sweet.  Those are cheaper to process because they can be dried in the open by the sun.  We might try those eventually.

“So again it is going to take time to become profitable. In the meantime we have to feed our Indians and right now we have nearly a hundred who are rebuilding the village they had to leave when the lake dried up. They are industrious and they all work from the smallest to the aged. I just found out they brought some food with them.  They grow pumpkins and squash and dry them.  The soup they make is quite good. Of, course it is seasoned and they grow their seasonings as well. Those are the staples they are used to. It won’t be long before their diet will improve.

“The land must be run out. Will it produce anything?”

“Charley has the answer to that.  She is working on it now. She just got back from the coast yesterday.”

“Is there anything else you will be growing?”

“Yes, there are tomatoes. I had my first taste of the fruit the day I came here. It is very prolific fruit and can be used in several ways even after drying. There are plums to be dried for prunes. Of course the seasons are pretty much turned around because the summers are hot and dry. The rains come in the fall and we get nowhere near as much rain here as we did in Wyoming or in where I came from in the northeast. Water here is a very precious commodity.”

George continued asking questions, “Captain Shaw, I take it you are involved with my friends. How so?”

“Well, I haven’t figured that out yet. A week ago I owned two ships, but I was about to lose them.  My brig is in the shipyard for major repairs which have been completed.  I don’t have enough money to pay the bill. The yard took it to court and my ship was impounded until the bill is paid. I have about two weeks to find the money to free it. The court also took my sailing papers on my schooner in forfeit for the same shipyard bill on the brig. The schooner isn’t fit to go to sea because it needs a new suit of sails.

“I was about ready to abandon both.  That was a week ago. Then this lady, Charley Downs, showed up and I made a deal with her and I am waiting to see if it can be finalized. She is here to see if there are enough funds to pay the repair cost on the Brig and put sails on the Schooner. When completed both ships will be in good repair and both will be ready for sea. 

“I do have enough men to crew both ships, but they will need provisions to fill the larders. She tells me the Grant has need of both ships. The plan is to import goods at first and eventually they will be exporting things produced here on the de Castillo Grant.”

“So what is the deal you made with her?”

“Mrs. Downs, in the Grants name will become the majority owner of my two ships.  I will be the minority partner holding a 25% ownership.”

“That seems excessive. Why would you go for that?”

“Well, I’m on the very edge of losing the ships because the court is going to soon take the ships and award them to the shipyard for the bill on repairs to the brig. There is another reason I’m interested that has tipped the scales in her favor.  She has talked about having the berths dredged near the pier so my ships can tie up and load and unload without using lighters and tenders to move goods from further out in the bay. If that can be accomplished, my time at sea will increase by 20% which will be as good as money in the bank.”

“This sounds really costly.”

“It is.  The village won’t come up with the money, but they have had it estimated. I was able to talk to the construction company about it yesterday because it is the same company who is doing the blasting for Brady’s project in turning the creek water here on the Grant.”

George grinned, “I might have known that Charley would be involved with something such as this. Charley, tell me your plans.”

“George, I may have bit off more than I should have. But if it all comes together, the Grant will benefit and the coast town where this is located will thrive again. Pete and I will probably move there more or less permanently. There are warehouses that can be bought for little or nothing. Businesses and inhabitants will return and again fill the houses and shops.  That should keep Captain Shaw’s ships busy although the Grant will have first priority.  After all Hank is my brother and he is now the Don here.”

“That’s interesting. How come things are so bad? It sounds as everything has gone wrong there?”

Charley answered, “George, I’m sorry I haven’t explained why. There was a terrible storm that came ashore and wrecked about everything on the waterfront. It also washed fill in and around the dock and pier.  The pier has lost most of the planking and planks will be one of the first shipments of goods that Captain Shaw will bring in.  The warehouses I’m dickering for have been abandoned but they can be repaired. I anticipate they will be as profitable here as the ones I built and stocked in Wyoming.”

“Wow, you are ambitious, but then you always were.”

“You might want to get in on the cheap property that has been abandoned.  The town is cutting deals to get people to return. They almost have to. There hasn’t been much tax money coming into the town coffers, but they are looking to the future.”

“I’ll have to look into it.  What about you Jack, what’s your part in all of this? Are you sticking with everyone you’ve been associated with for the last ten years?”

“Sarah and I have been tossing around in our minds what we can see for prospects. It looks like the Grant is going to need a lot of produce moved from here to the coast and goods back within a few years. Captain Shaw is going to be bringing in guano on a ship as soon as Charley gets sheds repaired to store it under. It isn’t just the Grant that will buy and there are a lot of other farms that will want it. We figure we can start a small freight line to handle most everything within a fifty mile area. It is what we know best.”

George laughed, “I might have known without asking you. You know you might pick up some of the freighters you had back in Wyoming. The concern that bought you out is making a mess of everything and have lost a considerable amount of the contracts through plain stupidity. Some of the men are refusing to go up into Indian country because it isn’t safe without the army escorting the wagons. I figure by spring, the company will fold. In addition, the railroad has taken much of what the Royal Flush handled when you owned it. You people sold just at the right time.

“Maybe I’ll write Tex a letter if I get something going here.”

“You had better make it soon before the men drift away.” George stopped speaking and all were waiting for him to continue. “You know I came out here planning on lying in the sun and letting the world go by. Charley, is there a bank in this town where you are locating?”

“There is, but I understand they don’t have much money to lend. Isn’t that right Captain?”

“Yeah. The bank never was that big. They hold paper on some of the real estate. But they never were into that much. Mostly they lend on stock orders coming into the warehouse. They’d be ripe for a takeover.”

“I wouldn’t want to take them over, but I might go for a partnership. Charley, when will you be returning there?”

“I was planning on going tomorrow. I think Pete and I have enough funds to free up Captain Shaw’s ships. I want to talk to the town fathers about getting the bay dredged and the pier repaired. I was intending to talk to the bank about the cost of loans. At first I was going to ask Brady and Jack about helping out, but if you help by talking to the bank for me, I would use them.  With your reputation in banking circles they might. At least the bank might help with the lumber orders for the pier and cover other costs to get started.”

“I’ll help in any way I can. As you say, you need to get the ships out from under the court ordered impound.  I’ll be ready to ride with you tomorrow. Is there a decent place to stay when we reach there?”

“There is. The landlady is a sweetheart, isn’t she Captain?”

“She is.” George had been talking and hadn’t finished his breakfast so we left him to that.  Delores, Elena, and Berta stayed with him for company.

Hank, Charley, Pete, Jack, and Sarah walked outside with Brady.  Sylvio, Marta, and the Captain drew away to talk. Those with him were far enough from them so we could talk quietly.  “Charley, what do you think?  Should we back George in trying to become a partner in the bank?”

“Brady, of course because we do need financing.  I would guess together we have enough money for the short term, but it will take Hank three or more years before he has many cattle to sell.  It is going to take almost that long for the lake to fill so we have enough water to grow crops.

“It will take me a long time to get the warehouses repaired. I’d say it will be at least a couple years before I have stock coming in and going out on a regular basis. I’m planning on managing the same way as I did back in Wyoming.  For the first year or more, the ships will be used for our own needs in getting everything organized. Does that sound reasonable?”

“Charley, I’d say that was about right. We definitely will need the bank for backup. We’ve used about half of what we sold the freight line business for to rescue the grant. That is what remains but we still have our personal wealth. I’m willing to use a big portion of Berta’s and mine to keep going forward. It is the time before returns are big enough to make a dent in what we have laid out that I worry about. I do know that we want to keep the grant free of a mortgage.”

“Brady, I’ll be using a big portion of my personal wealth for Hank. You and Jack shouldn’t have to do that.”

“Charley, I don’t feel that way. I look at the Grant as a business venture in total the same way we ran the operation in Wyoming. Hank grew up with us and he is the one who gave us this chance to start something new when we sold the old business. Berta and I want to be a part of it and I know Jack and Sarah do too. This is so big and we may be miles apart, but still we want to stay closely involved together.

“Hank and I were so lucky when you rescued us. No one has ever had better friends than you and Berta. Just think, I’m an experienced business woman and only twenty-five years old. What other woman would be in the same position as I am.”

“You’ve earned every bit of it. Look at Berta and me, we’re still in our middle thirties and I guess we can say we’ve earned it too.” Brady laughed and continued, “Maybe Hank has traveled the longest distance.  He is Don of a huge land grant and only twenty-two.”

“Yes and you could say he has done most of it from the back of a horse.”

Hank joined in the laughter, “Yes, and I collected a beautiful bride along the way.  I’m the luckiest.” Brady didn’t dispute this, but he felt Berta had Elena all beat to hell … for him anyway.

George and Sylvio joined them. George said, “Sylvio has been telling me about changing the creek bed so when it rains, water will fill up the dry lake bed. I’d like to see it. Can we go over there and still get back in time to go with Charley and the captain tomorrow?”

“It will mean a lot of riding.  I tell you what. We have a gig that you and Charley could ride from here to town.  That way she could take her baby with her if you drove. There is one place on the way where you can stay the night. It is too far to make it in one hitch.”

“I shouldn’t think that would work for Charley. She will be moving continually and with a baby it will be difficult.”

“You’re right, George. Although I want to have Daniele with me, she’ll have to stay here again for a few days.”

George continued, “I’ll like to go see this operation of yours.”

“George, we can leave shortly. You might want to talk to the construction Foreman and ask him about dredging the bay for Charley.  That’s his next project and has already signed a contract that Pete talked him into doing.”

“Brady, you people still amaze me.  You see an opportunity and before you know it, you are having it worked on.  It has always been that way.”

“Yes, well I guess we all think alike.” Brady had a word with Charley and Captain Shaw before they left.

“Captain, you’ve known Jim Bellows for a while. I’m impressed with him and he has been a big help to us, and to Charley especially. I’m asking, is Jim, in your opinion, officer material?  I’d like to see him move up in life. I suspect we will have use for him in some way. He might even become a ship’s captain someday.”

“I’ll start him in training as third mate when I get a ship under my command again. He does know the working of ships already. I’ll see about teaching him navigation, although I suspect he knows how already. I’ll need a purser too. That might be the best training if he is working that closely with you people.”

“Well, either; use your own judgment.”

———————————

Brady, Pete, George and Sylvio got ready to leave. Robby came out and asked his father if he could go as well. Brady nodded that he could. Sylvio had a few words with Marta telling her to stay at the mission. The five of them cantered right along. It was hot and very dry as there had been but one slight shower a couple days ago.

The group heard a loud blast when there were about ten minutes from the Indian encampment. They were actually nearer the construction site than where the Indians had their village.  Robby sped up and Brady shouted to him not to go near unless there were other people there. It must have been a large charge because they could see rocks falling from where they were.

The construction Foreman was telling his crew to be cautious in case one of the charges misfired when they came up to him. Near the blast site it was a jumble of rocks.  Already there were a bunch of stone boats headed there and men waiting with pry bars to wrestle the stones onto the stone sleds, They would be taken out of the creek bed and dumped far enough away not to interfere with a place for the what the next blast produced.

Occasionally you would see a man hammering a metal wedge into a crack of a large chunk of stone, trying to split it to a size that could more easily man-handled. If not, it would have a hole drilled into it and a small charge set off to do the job. All this required teamwork and apparently, everyone knew their job.  The blast site was fast being cleaned up. Already men were at working drilling holes for the next charge.

A man driving a small wagon came up.  There were casks of black powder on this.  Also there was a spool of fuse cord in the same wagon. Another man, walking, was carrying a leather suitcase that had, “Danger-caps” printed on it.

Near the lake bed there was a tent set up and a man sitting at a desk in the shade of it. “George, that person is the one in charge of this operation. He possibly could be the one who is in charge of the dredging operation as well.  He’ll know about it anyway. I’ll listen in if you have any questions to ask him.”

We were greeted, “I guess you were close enough to hear the blast. That’s the first one. We’ll get it cleaned up by noon tomorrow and set another one off late afternoon. So far we are right on track to complete this on time.”

George got his attention when he asked if he was managing the dredging operation in the town over on the coast. “No, but the engineer who is, is very good at it.  Some of this crew will be working on that project as well. How are you involved?”

“I may be providing some of the financing. The people who are contracting the work are friends of mine.”

“You must know Captain Shaw, then?”

“I do. I met him this morning.  He was telling me he is in kind of a bind with his ships being impounded.”

“Yeah and that’s too bad.  That little hurricane set him back some. The town is his home port. If these new people can get the pier repaired about the same time as we get the dredging completed, he will be back in business again and his ships free to sail, I’m sure he can drum up enough contracts and be profitable. Most ships are being driven by steam now but the coal eats up a good share of the pie when everything is settled at the end of the voyage. His ships will still be at the mercy of the wind or lack off. Still it is cheaper and if there is decent wind, there’s a good profit.”

“He said your company was going to place a steam driven tug there in the bay.”

“Yeah, we’ll be using it to tug the barges out to sea. We are hoping to have the business pick up with all the new changes we are hearing about. We could station the tug there. Do you know anything about that?”

“I know a lot and probably will be a part of it—, financially, that is.”

“That’s good to know. I’m pleased to meet you. We may be meeting again in a couple of weeks.” Brady signaled to Robby that we were leaving. 

“Can’t I stay?  Sylvio will let me stay in his hut.”

“No, not this time.”  Robby didn’t ask why or beg, which made Brady want to let him, but Berta felt he was growing away from her, so sometimes he refused. They were soon on the trail back to the Hacienda.

Before they left, Brady had a conversation with Sylvio.  “Sylvio, you must miss having Marta with you all the time. The Indians here aren’t that busy yet because of the shortage of water. Why don’t you build Marta a nice adobe dwelling? There is enough clay and sand around.  You can put them to cutting straw and poles and really put up something really attractive for her. Berta tells me that Marta would like a child. That can’t happen if she isn’t with you.”

“Brady, thank you for thinking of us. We will use the time we have before the guano begins to arrive to fertilize the ground we will be planting. I hope it gets here before the rains arrive in a couple of months. We might be able to get some seeds into the ground even though there is no water in the lake.”

“Good. I’ll be back here in a couple of days. You can tell the construction manager I will have his money for him as soon as he has the new waterway opened up. I think Charley will be ready for him to begin dredging as soon as he gets to the coast.”

“Money does a lot when you have it, doesn’t it. Don Pedro didn’t understand the value of having it, other than to gamble for his own enjoyment. I heard you tell the new Don that he might be a ways down on the priority list. Don Pedro wouldn’t abide that. I feel things are looking up and I certainly like this under the new order.”

“Thanks, Sylvio.”

The little group headed for the Hacienda. George would be heading for the coast shortly, along with Jim, Pete, Charley, and Captain Shaw. Tom, Harry, and Jack would follow a day or so later. Jack was going to take the time to look over the prospects for starting a small freight line to cover the area always with the de Costillo Grant being the primary customer.

George had a word with Brady and Jack before the travelers were mounted. “You know, I’m thinking that I have enough money to help finance everything you are planning. The only security on the loans I will be making to the Grant is to let me live out my life here. I don’t have any family and I’d like to be a part of what you are building here.”

“George, you’re extremely generous and I can assure you we won’t take advantage of you.”

–––––––––––––––––

 When the five reached the coast, Jim put up the horses, and wiped down the gig that had carried Charley and George. The next morning was busy. Captain Shaw contacted his lawyer, requesting that when the Maritime Court was in session, he was ready to lift the impounding of his ships.  He would want to talk first with the shipyard to see if the bill could be reduced.  He did have some leverage in that he needed a new suit of canvas for his schooner, and this time he would be paying cash.

The court was located in a larger town to the north, and they hoped that everyone would meet there so all could be accomplished at once. It was up to the attorney to arrange, but would take another day to arrange this. Georg said he would finance this part.  There was a Wells Fargo office in the same town and he said he would write drafts on his Wells Fargo account that was in Sacramento.

These arrangement, were made by telegraph and all parties confirmed they would arrive before the court sat for the day. The meeting with the shipyard that was owed for repairs would be held in the Wells Fargo office. After the charges were paid Captain Shaw and the shipyard accountant would go across the street to the courthouse. Charley and Pete Downs, George Cosgood, Captain Shaw with his attorney, Spencer, met as agreed in the Wells Fargo bank. Sam, from the shipyard came in ten minutes later with his accountant.

After being seated, Captain Shaw addressed those from the shipyard, “Sam, I’m here to get my bill straightened out. I’d like to discuss the bill I owe. I don’t know as I can pay it all. I’d like to see you leave this room with a draft on this bank. Mr. and Mrs. Downs are interested in my two ships. They will only pay so much or they will walk away. If that happens I’ll have to surrender ownership to the court and you can sell them for what you can get to satisfy what I owe you.”

“Captain, what are you saying?  You mean you still can’t pay us what is owed?”

“That’s correct, but I did bring a party who would pay if the bill is reduced quite dramatically.”

“How dramatically?”

“Well, show Mrs. Downs the invoice. I’ll let you discuss it with her. Please see what you can do for all of us.”

“This isn’t right.”

“I know it isn’t, but it is the only way you will get anything at all except title to the two ships. I’ve been trying to sell the ships for months and there is just no one buying sailing ships.”

Sam looked to Charley, “Ma’am what did you have in mind?”

“Well, let me look at the invoice. I may want to discuss it with the Captain.”

Sam signaled to his accountant to give her a copy. The bill showed a list of material used and the labor for each type of work done on the brigantine. Charley had at her hand pencil and paper and started figuring. She worked for fifteen minutes as the columns lengthened.

“Sir, I find the material used that you listed is fine. However, I will only pay 75% of the labor you have charged. I think that total is fair in this situation. That is what I will pay.” Charley passed the copy back to the accountant with the figure totaled near the bottom. The figure that was original was crossed out with the new figures beside it.

“Ma’am, I can’t do that. It is too drastic.”

“That amount is yours on a draft that will be in your pocket ... a slip of paper and that is as good as cash. You can have cash in hand if you so wish within ten minutes from now.  My husband and I will step out while you discuss it. George, would you go out with us.  Captain, please stay and make the case for me if you want me to take over your ships.” Spencer, the attorney stayed with Captain Shaw.

The three went out and stood close to the door so they could hear a bit of the conversation. Voices were raised at first and then it was reduced to a rumble. Fifteen minutes later Captain Shaw came out to talk to them. “Charley, I got them down to 15% off on the brigantine and 5% off a new suit of canvas for the schooner. Will you accept that? Personally I believe that is a good deal for all of us.”

“That’s a little better than I expected. On the original bill, that is what I was headed for and you got some off for the sails on the schooner as well.  We’ll take it.”

George said, “I’ll make out the draft for the amount.”

Sam took the draft from George and looked at it. “Thank you. Captain Shaw, I didn’t ever expect you would ever pay this bill. Sorry you had to lose your ships. What are your plans now?”

“First we are going over to the courthouse and get both ship’s impound lifted. Then I’m headed for my schooner to gather a crew.  That will take a few days.  I’ll leave the schooner when I hoist sails on the brig. Then I’m headed north for a load of lumber I have secured a contract for. Can I get the schooner in a week after I leave it?”

“I’d say so. Don’t tell me you have a contract for that too?”

“Not sure, but I hope so.”

“Well, the schooner will be ready to sail when you come for it.” Captain Shaw, Spencer, his lawyer, and Sam of the shipyard went into the courthouse.  They had to wait for an hour before the court was satisfied that the bill on the brigantine had been satisfied. Captain was smiling and happy.

Sam was going back to the bank to deposit some of the money in a new account.  “I like this draft business. It saves lugging a bunch of cash around. Captain, where in hell did you find that beautiful woman to buy your ships?”

“It’s a long story and I don’t know much more than she invited me for breakfast at Kate’s boarding house. She heard about the ships and we cut a deal.  You’ve probably got onto the fact that I’ll be sailing my own ships and do still own a share in them. You’ll hear more about this Charley Downs in the coming days. She is a very unique individual. I expect they are waiting for me so I’m leaving. Sorry you had to wait so long for your money.”

“Well, that’s business. Luck to you, Captain.”

“Same to you, Sam.”

As Captain Shaw and his attorney walked away from the courthouse, Spencer asked, “I guess I’m as curious as Sam was about this Mrs. Downs.  You want to share a bit more with me?”

“I’ll do better than that.  I think you should be working for her. I’ll bet you’ll be so damned busy and your wallet will get fat from the business she will be throwing to you.  She wants you to go to the village meeting Friday of this week to represent her when she proposes some business that needs taking care of. Why don’t you stay over at Kate’s and become fully cognizant of what she is up to?”

“I can do that. Thanks. The attorney business hasn’t been paying too well lately. I do have another question.  Who is this George Cosgood, whose account provided the money to pay off your bill?”

“I can answer that but we don’t have time before joining up with the rest of our party.” Captain Shaw paused and then asked, “Have you ever heard of the de Castillo Grant?”

“I know where it is located and something was circulating about it several weeks ago. I talked with a lawyer and he was some pissed because he thought he was going to end up with it.  He is kind of a shyster and if he had he probably would have stolen it.”

“Yeah, he tried.  I don’t know the details, but there are a bunch of people who have taken it over and are trying to restore it to what it was fifty years ago.  Charley and Pete Downs are partners with some others.  I met the main person who is named Brady Boyd. George Cosgood was his banker back in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Brady build up a freight outfit that he won from another partner in a poker game.

“Each one of these men have wives.  The youngest partner married the original grant’s daughter Elena, and this Charley is his sister. Anyway, all this began eleven years ago when Brady and Berta, his wife, arrived in town and Brady won the freight line in a poker game. It’s funny, but have you ever heard about a poker game where there were two straight flush hands in the game and the winner held royal clubs?”

“I’ve heard about it and didn’t think it possible.”

“Well, that was the game and this Brady Boyd was the winner holding clubs. When I was there three days ago, I met the other partner, Jack Abrahams, and he was the loser in that same game. Sarah is the wife of Jack at present. She had a husband named Frechette who disrespected Brady’s wife and he was called out on it.  Brady met him in the street and killed him. The odd thing is, when the husband lay dying he asked Brady to take care of Sarah. Brady complied and soon Jack married the widow.

“There has to be a lot about this I don’t know. They all seem gentle enough, but I guess they can turn wild pretty easily.  I’ll give you an example. There were six robbers who came to the young Don’s wedding two weeks after they arrived in California. Jim, who has been with me awhile, told me about it because the robbers had caught him and made him hold the horses while the outlaws were going to do the robbing. He said the courtyard was full of guests when the outlaws rode into the Hacienda courtyard. Less than five minutes later all six of the robbers were dead.

“The old Don killed one with a sword. The young Don, newly married less than fifteen minutes before, killed two. This Brady, killed another two, and Pete, Charley’s husband killed the last one.”

“At least the women aren’t as blood thirsty.”

“I don’no. Somebody said Berta has killed almost as many men as, her husband, Brady. She killed a train robber on the way here a few weeks ago. Charley even got into that mix and wounded one. Brady finished that one off.”

“I don’t think I want to get involved with them.”

“Well, I’m going to. There is just something about the whole bunch that wants you to make friends with them. You should see the Indians around them. I was with some of them when I went to the Indian village so I could talk to the construction outfit about dredging the bay where my Schooner is tied up.

“You’d think Brady was God the way the Indian men, women, and their kids treat him. I think Brady’s ten-year-old boy is just like him. He was right in with the bunch of kids playing. The Indian kids were jabbering at the boy and he’d stop playing and try to find out what the words they were using meant. I’ll bet within another month he will know the language enough to hold a conversation.”

“If they used Cosgood to pay your bill, would they have funds of their own to pay me?”

“I’d say so. Charley was going to pay my bill, but then Cosgood showed up and is financing some of what they plan. They know it is going to take time to become profitable and the quickest way to have money coming in is with my ships. That’s why they involved me in their plans.  I tell you, I have a feeling they are going somewhere and I’m in for the voyage. They will be keeping the holds in my ships full and I get a quarter share of every trip.

“Say, Charley must be waiting on us. Let’s join them. I tell you I’m pretty excited about my future. If Charley asks you to be her attorney, you had better go for it.”

—————————

There was a small gathering at the village meeting on Friday. The town fathers were there and a few people others who had nothing else to do. These meetings lately were short affairs because there was rarely any business to transact. Spencer Vertoli, the attorney was known up and down the coast, and well thought of.

When the Chairman asked was there any new business to come before the board, Spencer rose and said he had some. He said he was representing a person who was interesting in bringing business into the town. Their funds were limited, but had looked around and wanted to know if the town would work with them?

The Chairman wasn’t too excited and thought this was probably another pipe dream that would never bring the town back to its previous status. “Just what is this concern interested in?”

“It is well known that the warehouse complex has been abandoned. Are these now owned by the town?”

“They are, but nearly worthless and need to be torn down and hopefully a new use found for the cleared space.”

“Do you have any prospects for that?”

“No, not at this time. In fact, the village itself may cease to exist as an incorporated town.”

“What would the town do if someone came in and rebuilt the warehouses? What if that same concern would dredge out the bay so ships could come in and tie up to the pier? What if this same concern would provide new planking for said pier and repair the dock? I remind you that the warehouses have been abandoned.”

Everyone in the room sat up straight, especially the town fathers.  The town Chairman looked at the other two members.  “We’d like to talk with this concern and I’m sure something can be worked out. It would be good if we could have Captain Shaw get his ships out of the pound. We might even help him do that. Give surety or something, you know.”

“I have the representatives and Captain Shaw with me and waiting outside. If you would go into executive session, I’ll have them come in. Their financial adviser is with them as well.” The session began at 6:30 and it was now short of 7:00. The executive session ended at 10:00. Word had spread about something happening at the meeting and every chair was filled when the board came out.

The Chairman announced, “What I have got to say is good news. The board has agreed for the short term until we can have a regular meeting of you people to vote to make it legal. This is what we have agreed to: we are turning the abandoned property on the waterfront here to new ownership of the de Castillo Grant which includes the warehouse complex. We will have to bond money for some work that has been contracted already by their representatives.

“In ten days to two weeks there will be a dredging crew in here cleaning up the bay near the pier and dock. Also the pier will have new planks on it. These have been ordered already. The town will provide the labor to attach these. To make it simple, we have agreed to pay 25% percent of the dredging cost; and 20% of the cost of material for planking the pier. We also have agreed about the ownership of the warehouse complex will be deeded to the same grant. We have agreed to not tax the warehouses for the next five years. Five years from now the warehouses will return to the tax rolls.

“Soon Captain Shaw will be tying up to the pier because his ships are in his hands again. He has shown us that he has his sailing papers returned to him by the court. It won’t be long before this town will be back to what it was before the storm.  As far as the bond that we need, the vote will be posted for next Friday from 4:00 until 7:00 in the evening. It is late so I’m adjourning this meeting as of now. Details on the bond will be spelled out in a notice posted on the door outside, and also can be viewed here in the office when it is open.”

It was late, but everyone gathered in Kate’s dining room to discuss what went on during the first part of the evening before the session ended. Kate spoke, “You know there is a list of abandoned property listed in the room we were in. If anyone wants to buy it, now would be a good time. The details are spelled out for each property.”

Charley and Pete were interested and thought they would look at it before returning to the grant. George thought he might too. Kate announced, “There is a nice house three houses up the street from where I live. A middle-aged couple owned it. The wife’s mother had lived in a good sized apartment in the rear. I heard she has since died and the couple moved back east somewhere.”

Charley looked at George, “What do you think, George?  Would you like to live in the same house with us? Pete and I know we will be here most of the time with only short visits to the grant.”

“I don’t know where I’ll be, but I would like to look at it.  Thank you.  I could become an uncle to Daniele. She is so sweet and I’m sorry you decided it wasn’t feasible to have her with us the last couple of days.”

“I promised her she could be with us next time. One more day here and then we will head for the grant. I want one day to plan about restoring the warehouses. I was thinking, Captain, the town came through for some of our costs. If you know of some ship that could move cattle, I’ll suggest to Brady that we lease it and buy cattle for my brother and use what I’ve saved from the town kicking in some to buy cattle for Hank.”

“I’ll check around.”

The next morning Pete and Charley went over to the warehouse that was closest to the dock. They had built warehouses before so they knew what we were doing. They compiled a list of what was needed. The rafters were still in place and some of the boards, but the floor on the second level was open to the weather.

There was a lot of junk and debris in there.  It was good that the rainfall wasn’t as heavy as it was further east or in the mountains.  There was days when after a rain all of this would dry out and not rot the heavy planks that the floor was made up of.  On the bottom floor, it was of cement anyway. The whole outside would have to be covered and board and batten was planned.

Captain Shaw had been rounding up his crew. He had a hard time getting enough patched canvas to sail the schooner up the coast to the ship yard. He would leave the schooner there and man the brigantine that had been waiting months for him to pay for the repairs. When they set sail, they would turn north and sail up the coast to the lumber mills where he would load the needed lumber for the dock and pier.

The town handed Captain Shaw the list of what lumber was needed that came from the estimate when the town thought they would do all of it. It wasn’t done because the town didn’t have enough money. They couldn’t bond it at the time because the bonding company didn’t think the town would ever recover. That night Charley gave Captain another list of lumber she would need for beginning the repairs on the warehouse. He told her that the brig was large enough to combine what she needed with what was needed to re-plank the pier.

Charley, George Cosgood, and Pete were leaving the next morning for the Grant to give updates on their successes with the town and the court shipyard about Captain Shaw’s problems. They planned to be back before the town’s bond vote. It would be a lot of traveling, but they missed Daniele too much to stay away from the grant.

George and Charley only stayed five hours with Rawson, the former captain of Captain Shaw’s. The horses were rested and had a bait of grain and ready for the road.  When Daniele awoke the morning, Charley was sleeping in a bed across the room.” The child questioned if she was going to be left alone without her mother again. Charley made excuses.

“I know, but I love you, Mommy. Mommy, I missed you. Are you going to ever stay home again?”

“Mommy and Daddy are awful busy and you like Aunt Berta and the girls. I have to go away again in a few days.  I’m looking for a new house to live in. Then Mommy and Daddy will be with you all the time.”

“Okay.” 

“Come snuggle with me, I don’t have to get up yet.”

Berta was getting dinner for her girls when Charley struggled out of bed.  Berta said, “I understand you are looking to stay in that village. Daniele told the girls and they started crying because they weren’t going to be together. Charley, I know how they feel. I know I am too young to be your mother, but I feel like you were my daughter.”

“Berta, you have been the best Mom to me. You have guided me in so many things.”

“You’ll miss Brady too, won’t you?”

Charley stared into Berta’s eyes and then said softly, “Yes, Brady too.” No more was said and then Charley got up and hugged Berta. Both had tears in their eyes.

“I must go find Daniele.”

As she was going out the door, Berta said, “Charley, everyone loves Brady and you aren’t alone. Sarah feels the same way. Delores comes down just to see him occasionally. About half of the Indians do too. You know I don’t feel threatened because the love he has for those who love him is different than the love he has for me. We have true love.”

“I know. We all can see it when he is near you.” Charley went out without saying more.  She was feeling very good though.

Pete, Tom, and Jack came riding in. “Charley, Tom came by and said Jack wanted to see me. He got in last night. He’s been around to some of the grants and ranches while we were in town. He stopped in and visited some of the bars and stores in the small villages. He says there is need for someone to freight goods from the coast. He thinks he will see if he can buy some wagons and mules to pull them.”

“Jack, is this what you want?”

“Yeah Charley, all the rest of you have something to do and freighting is all I know. I don’t know where I’m going to base it, that’s all. Both the Hacienda and the presidio have stables and rooms to put up a few muleskinners. Charley said something about a slaughterhouse near town that is about closed down. I’ll look into that.  Sarah is writing to Cheyenne to see if a few of my old hands want to come out.”

“Who is Sarah writing to?”

“Tex, for sure. She can put the word out quietly by writing to the diner. That’s the center for gossip.  I would like the Hammer for my blacksmith.  He’s getting up in years, but he knows blacksmithing better than anyone. He could get a couple of Brady’s Indians to help him.”

“I’d love to have the Hammer here with us. I remember when I figured out how to get some charcoal for him. God, he embarrassed me talking about what a genius I was.”

Pete spoke up, “Well you were something … still are for that matter.” Daniele spotted her daddy and clung to his leg.  “And here is someone else who is something.”  He tossed Daniele into the air to make her squeal.  “Hey, where are we eating tonight?”

Berta answered, “Delores wants us to eat at the Hacienda. Elena is already here and Hank said he was staying the night. Again, we need a meeting. George is spending his money like crazy and we need to make some agreements so everything is fair.  He has talked about spending his money if we will give him a home.

“He says we are the only family he has and we have some great ideas how to make the de Castillo Grant great again.  He wants to be part of it. Personally, I think he feels free from being tied to a desk.  I take it he has a considerable amount of money and wants to put it to work.”

“Well, Berta, it needs to be spelled out then. Brady needs to think about this.  He is the person who makes sure that as tangled as our association is, it hasn’t come to any disagreement in the past. I think we can do that tonight when everyone is here. The way things are going we never can know when will see each other all together.”

“I know and we aren’t going to be living as close to each other soon, so it will be more difficult to talk over business. George said that things at the syndicate weren’t going well because there are three bosses. We can’t let that happen to us.”

Brady, along with Robby, was late for dinner. “Sylvio and Marta aren’t coming.  They are more at home with the Indians than with us so we won’t be seeing much of them here at the Hacienda. Charley, I want to hear what you accomplished in town just as soon as I eat.”

Before Brady finished eating, Don Pedro said, “I’m going to my rooms. I know you all are going to have a meeting. I can’t see where I’m involved so there is no need for me to sit in. Good evening every one. Delores, you might stay because I think you are a part of the new order and will take part in some of what they plan.” He turned and walked out.

Brady asked Delores if they had hurt Don Pedro in any way.  “No, it is just as he stated. When Henry gets to racing horses, he will be right at the finish line cheering the de Castillo horse to win. He really is happy the way things are.

Charley, spoke up as the Indian servants took Brady’s plate away. “Brady, you’ve always been the moving force in the last eleven years. We’ve all talked it over and want you to continue. To start with, how is the project going to get water to the lake?”

“The construction crew is almost finished. They’ll be headed for the coast in a couple of days. I heard the Foreman say that he had sent word for the company to start moving the dredging equipment into place.  There is a steam tug coming in and will be there by the end of this coming week.”

“That’s good because the town’s voting on the bond this Friday.  That might get us some yes votes.”

“What bond?”

“Some good news, Brady, The town is floating a small bond to help with the dredging and with the cost of repairing the Pier. While I’m on the subject, Captain Shaw has his ships free and clear again, thanks to George paying the bills. Captain is getting his crew onboard and he thought he would be moving the schooner out of the bay by tomorrow.

“The captain is sailing the schooner up to the shipyard for new canvas and rope.  He is putting that crew onto the brigantine and going for planks for the pier.  I also put in an order for enough lumber to repair one of the warehouses. I’ll start looking for help when I get back there later this week. I asked the town to pick up the cost of the repair on the pier.

“That might hurt me because there are just so many men left in the town, but then word will go out that there is work so I’m not too worried. Pete and I built the last one in Wyoming and we already have the frames and foundations to start with these.”

“Enough of me, Jack and Tom have been busy checking to see about starting a small freight concern.  He tells me he knows how because he learned from an expert. Those were his words.”

“So true, Brady.  Sarah is writing Cheyenne about putting the word out that I might be hiring mule skinners. She was going to ask about having Hammer join them in coming west.”

“Berta, that seems pretty sneaky and underhanded.”

“I know, but George tells me that there are several of our old crew who have quit already. Mostly from the syndicate mismanaging the business they bought from us.”

“Jesus, George, what happened?  We sold them a well-run business.”

“Part of it is the Indian situation.  The army doesn’t have the men for escorts and some of the teamsters have refused to go with the freight wagons when the syndicate wouldn’t hire their men who weren’t out driving to help as armed escort. Most of the contracts are moving goods east, west, and south to Denver. Practically nothing is going north up into Indian country.

“That’s only some of it. The three syndicate owners are fighting amongst themselves. The two older men want to sit in the office and let the younger man do all the work.  He tries, but can’t do it all. They may fold by spring.”

“That’s too bad, George. They definitely need a freight outfit in that area.”

Berta spoke sharply, “Brady, we’ve been there and done that. You get any ideas about rescuing it out of your mind. I’m staying here where the sun shines.”

“Me too Berta, and I wouldn’t consider it. What else should we talk about?”

Charley was the one who spoke again. “I’m thinking of my brother. Hank needs to get his ranch going faster than it is at present.  I suggested that Captain Shaw look for us to lease a cattle boat that would bring some stock up from Mexico if Hank can’t find enough to buy here in California. Pete and I still have some money he could use.”

Sarah said she and Jack had some they would throw into the pot to help Hank get ahead faster. George, then asked, “Do you have money left from the sale of the Royal Flush Freight line?”

Brady answered, “A quarter of it.  I’m paying for the construction of the creek change of direction and for getting the crop land back into shape. We agreed to get Captain Shaw’s ships out of hock with common funds. Charley was going to use her personal funds for getting the warehouses into shape. I guess we were going to pay for the dredging of the bay out of it.  Berta and I haven’t touched much of what we had personally yet.  Jack will probably use his personal funds to set up his freight line.”

Brady paused and then asked, “George, why do you want to know?”

“Brady, I’ve said before, I’m out here to stay. I want to be involved with you all on the de Castillo Grant. Without going into details, I do have money to put into making it what it was. Here’s what I’d like to do. If you put the ownership of Shaw’s ships under the grant’s name, I’ll not ask for what I’ve paid out already. I’ll also pick up the cost for dredging the bay that the town won’t cover.  We’ll add the cost of planking the pier as well. What you’ve been doing in getting the creek opened up will be added to that.

“That leaves Hank and Elena to get his cow ranch expanded.  I’ve already talked about helping him to bring cattle up from Mexico by leasing a cattle boat. I’ll throw in the cost of the transportation to some extent. It doesn’t seem right that Jack and Sarah should use their personal funds to buy wagons and mules for the freight line. I’ll cover most of that.”

“Jesus, George, you’re paying for most everything. We can’t let you do that. I tell you what, if you want to get involved that deeply, we’ll let you in for about twenty percent. I’m sure the rest of us will pool what we have and use you for back up if we need more. That’s still better for us than working with some bank that doesn’t know us.”

Jack spoke up, “That sounds good to me. You’re helping us all equally, what is it you want out of this?”

“Two things. One: I want to live here with freedom to drop in and live with each of you as long as I want, whether it is a few days, weeks, or months. Two: I’d like to see the de Castillo brand on everything. This would include the cow, mules, and wagons. Charley said she, or the de Castillo Grant would own a major part of the ships. We must have them renamed with the de Castillo name. The Hacienda should have the name emblazoned on it somewhere and the ranch as well. It will be a name to be reckoned with.”

“I don’t understand, George?”

“Well it goes back to when Charley painted the Royal Flush logo on all of your wagons. I felt pride in knowing I was a small part of your success there and I want the same here under a different name.”

Elena came and pulled George to his feet and hugged him. “You dear man. What a wonderful thing you are doing.  Papa will be so happy. He is a proud man and this will make him even prouder. I still don’t understand exactly why though.”

“It is because I can and because I want to live with my friends. I want to live long enough for any children to call me Uncle George. I have lived my life as an austere, honest man and my only goal was to make money. I’ve done that. I was sitting at my desk thinking after you people came out here that I should join you. Envy overwhelmed me so much I gave in to it.  By helping you folks, I am part of it. Am I welcomed?”

“George, you are very much welcomed. We do have enough money to do it ourselves, but we are so glad you want to help us. It will cut our time to being a success by half. That will give us time to enjoy life a little more too.”

—————————————

Pretty much everything was in place to return the de Castillo Grant to its former glory. It did that and more. There were more people working on the Grant and even more people working for it on the outside. It was in September that the first load of guano reached the Grant. Sylvio put the Indians to work fertilizing the former fields that would be growing crops.

Still no water to irrigate, but a few rains would come in late October. The major planting would take place in early February and the fields by that time would have received some water. Next year there should be water in the lake that would irrigate the crops when the rains ceased.

Brady spent all his time with Sylvio learning what it was all about. Robby adored Sylvio and knew someday his father would know as much as the older man. Robby had his lessons to learn. He was intelligent and blew through his books at a fast rate so he could join his father and Sylvio out in the fields. Robby also enjoyed being with the Indian kids, and if they were working in the fields he would be with them doing what they were doing.

As Robby learned the Indian language, he would sit and listen to the old Indian Pito, who came with Sylvio, tell stories of years past. “I’m going to write these stories all down someday. It is history and people should know about it from the Indian’s point of view.” No one doubted but what he would.

Jack put his freight business together with wagons and mules stationed either at the presidio or in town where the old slaughter house was located.  Sometimes his mules and wagons would be split between the two places. Tom was his partner in this with Sarah doing the paperwork keeping the accounts, etc. Harry worked for Jack at the slaughter house location. There wasn’t much going out from the grant yet, but someday there would be a steady stream of produce heading for the coast to go into the Grants ships.

Hank and Elena didn’t come in from their ranch very often. They were busy building themselves an adobe ranch house and some barns for the horses that were they used by those while at the ranch. The hands had built corrals and a bunk house before Hank and Elena were married. They didn’t have that large a herd of cattle at first and the hands weren’t that busy. Still if anyone heard about any cattle for sale, they would check them out.  Always their small herd was increasing. Within two years, they had a herd covering the many acres of pasture land.

Hank had two men from Texas and two men from Mexico working for him on the ranch. They had all come to the ranch together at the same time when he met Elena. “I’ll need more hands as my herd increases. I’ll send word to Texas and get a few more when I need them.”

Charley and Pete were in the thick of things.  They had moved into a nice house after that meeting at the Hacienda that had defined what they were doing from that time on. George had two rooms that he could call his own at their home. He had two rooms at the Hacienda and one at the mission.  He had a small hut near the lake across from the house Sylvio was building nearby. He also could be put up at the ranch with Hank and Elena when they got their ranch house constructed.

His plan was to be free to stay wherever the notion took him when he awoke each morning.

The dredging of the bay wasn’t quite finished when the first load of guano arrived in the schooner. The brigantine was in at the same time, and would be the first ship to unload. The steam tug was busy and only took time to push the two ships to one side of the small bay so it wouldn’t interfere with the dredging.

Three days they waited and then the tug nosed the brigantine into a berth at the dock.  Loose planks were taken from the load of lumber on the brig and workers provided by the town started laying the floor to the pier, starting from the dock and progressing out into the bay.  Much of the lumber on the brig was slated for Charley’s warehouse. Jack and Tom arrived and loaded the lumber onto wagons and transported it the short distance to the first warehouse that Charley was rebuilding.

As soon as the pier was re-planked, Charley hired those workers to work for her. The brig was moved out of its berth and turned around by the tug and pushed from the bay so it could catch the wind and head north for another load of lumber. The town had taken a terrible beating in the storm. New lumber to rebuild was at a premium and Charley was going to profit from it.

The schooner was moved to the pier now and the pallets of bagged guano were winched from the hold, swung to above Jacks wagons that had been backed onto the pier.  Warren, who was the captain of the schooner, said even though he had to wait to unload, it was worth it.  “I’m back to sea quicker unloading this way than having to load and unload using a lighter. Much cheaper, as well.”

Two things had happened during the wait while the ships were anchored. The brigantine had its new name had painted on the bow: The Lady Elena de Castillo, and on the schooner: The Don Henry de Castillo.  This was the beginning of promoting the brand of the de Castillo Land Grant. 

There was excitement in the town that replaced the depression that had ruled since the storm. Work was available now that hadn’t been available previously. The town boards issued different permits to those seeking them to rebuild or repair property. The harbor master came out of early retirement to see that things followed the law of the town, the state, and the federal government.

When a boatload of cattle arrived, Charley made sure Hank was on hand for the unloading. The townspeople were worried when the cattle came down the ramp onto the dock that they would spread throughout the town. It could and would have happened if Hank and his crew, supplemented by the men from other ranches hadn’t planned ahead. Instead of going through the village itself, they were driven along the dock and through an uninhabited side of town near the old slaughterhouse.  From the slaughterhouse to open range, there was a trail to the interior. Five days later the cattle were on the grant. 

Charley and Pete Downs were seated as they often were during the town father’s meeting because so much involved them they wanted to be on hand to face any problems that came up immediately. Early on, the question was asked about who this new Don Henry was because he had never been heard of before.

“He must be connected to the de Castillo Grant somehow. There have been a lot of changes out there. Didn’t Don Pedro have some trouble with the courts over getting the title cleared? There was also a rumor that there was a hell of a gun battle with six men being killed on the grant a while ago. What was that all about? Have some outlaws taken over the grant? We better run them out of there.”

George Cosgood who was sitting next to Charley nudged her. “Explain some things to the townspeople, Charley.”

Charley stood and asked, “Sir, may I address the floor and answer some of these question?”

“Certainly, Mrs. Downs, please do.”

“Hi, I’m Charley Downs. Most of you have seen me around working on the rehabilitation of one of the warehouses. That’s being done with de Castillo money.  Those two ships out in the bay that stop here to unload goods are mostly owned by the de Castillo Grant. Money from the de Castillo Grant helped dredge out the bay and repair the docks and pier.

“Very shortly the warehouse will be a wholesale warehouse holding goods for stores here and for every establishment with in a fifty mile radius. The warehouse will soon have a de Castillo Grant logo on the side of it. I say ‘goods for wholesale’ because we feel those who sell the goods to the public should receive money for carrying and selling these goods.

“You may wonder how I’m involved with the grant. It is because the man called Don Henry is my brother. He did marry the daughter of Don Pedro de Castillo.  Loving his daughter, Don Pedro relinquished his title and asked Henry to relinquish his name and become Don Henry de Castillo of the grant. Isn’t love wonderful?”

No one answered this, knowing there was more to come. “My husband and I owned and managed warehouses in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for several years. We were involved with a couple named Brady Boyd and his wife Berta. They are the couple who we all look up to for they were the real power back in Cheyenne running a freight line that Brady won in a poker game. Brady is involved in restoring the grant’s fields, producing fruits and vegetables. 

“There are another couple who you will see more often than Brady and Berta. Their names are Jack and Sarah Abrams. Jack is the one who turned the freight line over to Brady when Brady won on a turn of cards. There will soon be a line of freight wagons leaving here with the de Castillo logo heading for the grant. At first loaded with guano to fertilize the fields that Brady is planting.

“In a few months those same wagons will be hauling produce to be loaded onto the de Castillo ships headed for ‘Frisco. On their return, they will have more goods ordered by telegraph from all over the country for my warehouse.

“I haven’t touched on my brother very much. Henry Horshack, now named Don Henry de Castillo, rode all eighteen months when the Pony Express was in operation. He came West and fell in love with Donna Elena de Castillo and was able to partially free it from the clutches of an attorney who wanted for himself.

 “Still the grant was in a precarious position, so my brother came to Cheyenne reaching us just in time for the money to free the grant of its debts. It is hoped to keep it all in one piece forever. We are well funded and our goal is to keep the de Castillo Grant in its present hands.  We think this town will blossom along with the grant. We are in this together.

“One other person I should mention. This man beside me has been my friend and knows the story of us while were in Cheyenne. His name is George Cosgood and while in town, he hangs out in a saloon near the docks. He also loves the food in the diner called ‘the Dockside’ near here. He is always ready to expound verbally on those of us who are his friends.

“Over time you will know our story, and I’m sure, the history of the de Castillo Grant back as far as when it was granted by the King of Spain to an order of Jesuit  priests while keeping title. The title was again granted to a de Castillo ancestor when the missions and presidios were removed from Spain’s authority.”  Charley stopped speaking and sat down.

George whispered to Charley, “Well done, Charley. I’m even more proud of being involved after your wonderful speech which covers everything I can think of.”

The town board came and praised Charley as well. “We may become a small city yet, Mrs. Downs, with more people like you investing in our future.”

“Thank you.”

—————————

The year Brady and Berta were forty, Berta was watching Brady.  He had appeared restless for a month or more. That night while he was tossing and turning she asked, “Okay Brady, tell me about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know you after these fifteen years together. Something is bothering you.”

“Nothing to worry about. Just something I wonder about.”

“Tell me. We’ve never kept anything from each other.”

“I know, and I love you for it. You know it was twenty four years ago that I left home.  I was wondering if my parents are still alive. I was trying to figure a way how to find out. I figure my father has probably killed my mother a long time ago if she kept treating him like she did at the time I left.”

“Check it out. We did that when we wanted to know if my uncle was still alive. They must have telegraphs in or near where you lived.”

“Probably. Do you think I should?”

“Definitely! Sylvio can take care of everything while you’re gone to see them if they are alive.”

“Oh, I hadn’t planned on that. Would you go with me if they are?”

“No, I don’t think so.  Baby Brandan is only two. I wouldn’t want the girls to go.  Robby would love to go, so you’ll have to take him. In fact let me find out for you.”

“Let me think about it and I’ll tell you for certain if I do want to know.”

“Okay, but let me know soon. I’m wondering too. Did your mother go to church?  I could send a telegram to the pastor.”

“Yeah she did and I never could figure out why. She never seemed to improve on the way she treated Dad.”

“Maybe it wasn’t any of your business.”

“Yeah, and why did she treat me the same way?” Berta shook her head not knowing the answer.

Berta knew three days later that the Boyds were in fact alive and lived at the same address in Saratoga, NY. “Berta, it is now you who is restless. I suspect you had to know about my parents. Are they still alive?”

“I don’t know how you found out I investigated, but yes they are still alive. That’s all I know. Your dad and mom are in church every Sunday.”

“I don’t believe it. My dad never went to church.”

“Well, maybe the minister lied. Brady go visit, please. Bring your folks back with you. They should know their grandchildren.  What if Robby ran away and had four children, wouldn’t you want to know?”

“I guess.”

“You know you would. We’ll make plans tomorrow.”

It was a rush to get ready once the idea had been made to actually go east. It was decided to visit Charley and Pete and then travel by packet up the coast to San Francisco. When Brady and Robby reached there they would purchase tickets for Sacramento and get on the intercontinental train for the east.

There were Pullman seats to be had, but Robby said to wait for the return trip to buy these.  They would need them for his grandparents. This was a reflection of George Cosgood’s instruction to the boy, giving him the basics on how not to buy something expensive if cheaper could be had without too much pain. 

This made Brady smile. Robby had spent a couple of months last year being a protégée to George as part of his lessons. Next year he was to spend with Charley and Pete for different lessons in life. The year after that, he would be with Hank on the ranch for the same reason. Brady and Berta was preparing Robby to eventually take the overseer’s place in the Grant’s business as understudy of Brady looking to the future.

They traveled this way as far as Chicago and then made the switch to sleepers as far as Albany, NY when they went again for open seats, arriving on Saturday in Saratoga. They spent the day in a hotel.  It was an opulent establishment, but neither gave much thought to this for they were there for rest only before looking for Brady’s father and mother.

“Shall we go to church this morning, Robby? This will be entirely different than that of the Catholic faith you are used to. There is very little ceremony in a protestant church and the minister will lead you in every way. Be prepared to do a bit of singing. Anyway I should be able to observe my father and mother after we sit down if they are there.”

“Are they awful old?”

“To you, maybe.  My mother, I think, will be fifty-seven or eight. Your grandfather is sixty-two or three. We’ll go in just before ten when the congregation has all arrived. There will be seats in the back and we will quietly ease into them.”

————————————

Brady and Robby entered quietly and Brady paused looking over the congregation. He whispered to Robby, “I forgot, we Boyd’s own a reserved pew. Follow me and we will sit with my Ma and Pa.” The pews were sectioned off and you went down the outside aisle and entered from the rear with the seats facing the center aisle.

There was an organ playing and the first to see Brady and Robby arrive were those of the choir who were off to the right of the podium. The minister hadn’t appeared yet. The next group of the church goers to spot the two strangers were those in the boxes. They who sat in the common pews that had seats facing front soon became aware of something unusual happening. They faced around and watched as Brady went down the outside wall to the Boyd box. Henrietta and Basil Boyd watched too, having no idea that the two heavily tanned strangers carrying Stetsons, were heading for their box to sit with them.

Brady, after entering, leaned down between his parents and said, “Ma and Pa, I’m sure you remember me, your son, Brady. This young man with me is your grandson, Robert. We have traveled far to listen to the sermon today. We’ll talk later.” Brady and Robby stood out from the rest of the crowd. They were tanned and their clothes were of better quality then the rest of the congregation.

The minister stepped out to the lectern and welcomed every one.  “I see we have two strangers in our midst today. You know today solves a mystery for me. A few weeks ago, I received a telegram inquiry asking if the family Boyd attended my church.  I replied that they did. Mrs. Boyd, are these two strangers members of your family?”

“Yes, they are, or I’m assuming so.  The one named as my grandson looks just like my son did when he ran away twenty-four years ago. I thought my son must have died it has been so long since I have had word of him. Apparently not for he is here with me today. Be assured I will give thanks to the Lord for it has to be He who has returned my son to me. Mr. Samuel, please do continue with today’s service. I’m anxious to hear later of his life while away for so many years.”

“Yes, off course.  Maybe Mr. Boyd would share some of his travels while away from your hearth after we conclude the service.” Brady took this as a question and nodded without speaking. Brady did mount the podium after the service.  No one in the congregation left, for all wanted to hear about this long lost son of the Basil Boyd family.

Brady did give the highlights, skipping those facts that he knew would bother the sensibilities of this congregation. He told of farming in Ohio and of trapping years for the fur companies in the Dakota territories. He told of finding a woman in Montana whose brother had died on the trail and how he had cared for her through the winter while they lived as brother and sister in a cave.

In the spring, reaching civilization, he proposed and they married starting a family. “Robby is my first child. I have two daughters Betty, nine and Brenda, six and a two-year-old-son, Brendan at home in California. Again, I’m back to farming managing it with the help of an overseer and some tame Indians. My wife Berta has been by my side as my friend and partner. It was she who convinced I have stayed away from my childhood home too long.

“Actually I’m here to induce my parents to return to California with me. I am financially well able to care for them.  The climate is much different because the sun shines many more days there than it does here.” 

While Brady was speaking, Robby was circulating through the congregation meeting and answering question. Robby wasn’t as reticent about answering the questions put to him.

“How big is your farm?” 

“I’ve seen the deed, and it says there are 17,600 acres that my father partners with others. The farm itself is only about half that.  But then there is the adobe Presidio which was a Spanish mission a couple of centuries ago.  That’s where my Dad and Mom live. My Uncle Hank is the new Don de Castillo and it is his father-in-law who gave the grant to him when he married my aunt Elena who is daughter of Don Pedro de Castillo. Hank’s name used to be Hank Horshack and he runs a big ranch with cattle and horses on it.

“I have a lot of aunts and uncles because they are my dad’s friends. My Aunt Charley is Hank’s sister and she is married to Pete Downs.  They are partners of the grant as well.  She runs a shipping concern and has warehouses in a coastal town. Another partner is Uncle Jack and he is married to my Aunt Sarah. He operates a freight line that moves everything from the sea coast to the Grant and in return freights produce from the Grant back to the ships that travel mostly up to San Francisco where the best market is.”

“I thought the west was wild with killings and bad Indians who want to kill everyone.”

“There is some of that, but that is mostly in the middle of the country. You don’t realize how big this country is until you cross it by train. You ride forever night and day.”

“Have you ever seen anyone killed?” This question from a boy a little older than Robby.

“I did when on a train going to California.  The train we were on was being robbed.”

“What happened?”

“The robbers came into the car where my mom and sisters were.  My Aunt Charley was there with them.

“Well, what happened?”

“Mom shot and killed one of the robbers and Aunt Charley wounded another one.  Dad killed him before he could escape. Then I saw several robbers killed at Aunt Elena and Hank’s wedding. Don Pedro got one with a sword and Uncle Hank killed two more. Dad got two and Uncle Pete killed the last one. They were buried before sundown that same day. Life out in California is really is peaceful now because no one messes with the de Castillo Grant or they are dead.”

“What do you do?”

“Mostly lessons either from books or from those who are experienced in something.  I just left Uncle George.  He is our banker. He used to manage a bank in Wyoming and he came west to California four years ago. Uncle George has been teaching me about money and how to use it. Last year I was with Uncle Hank and Aunt Elena on the ranch learning a lot about the cattle ranching business.  The year we were first in California I stayed around Uncle Sylvio, Aunt Marta and Dad learning how to farm.

“I also needed to learn how to speak the language of the Indians that belong to the grant. There are about a hundred and fifty of these now. Someday I may have the job that Uncle Sylvio has and maybe even the one my father has. All the partners listen to Dad and he gives advice. The most he ever says is that is a good idea. We all have the same goal so there never is any trouble between us.”

“What kind of a house do you live in?”

“When I’m with my parents, I live with then in a huge adobe structure. It was where the Spanish mission and priests lived. The Presidio is where the soldiers and Spanish government lived across from the mission.  There are big stables with stalls and still some barracks that troops of soldiers were quartered and are all built of adobe. The cellars under the living quarters in the mission are deep and dark and just a little bit scary if you go down there alone.”

“What is adobe?”

“Bricks made of mud, sand and straw. There is enough sunshine to bake the bricks really hard and the buildings last a long time.”

Robby saw his father come toward him and he quit speaking. “Come Robby, we are taking your grandparents out to Sunday dinner. We’ll try and convince them to return to California with us. We can’t stay here longer than a week.”

“Okay Dad.”

It was three in the afternoon before Brady was to step into his boyhood home.  “Ma, what happened to the furniture you used to cherish so much?”

“Brady, things haven’t gone well for us this last year. Basil got hurt and when he got well and his job had been taken by a younger man. We have been living on our savings. When that was gone, we started selling what we had.  You got here today and you were able to sit in our pew box, but it wasn’t really ours anymore.  We sold it two weeks ago. This Sunday was to be the last time we could sit in it.  We kept just enough furniture to furnish our room at the poor farm outside of town.  I was to work in the kitchen and Basil was to clean stables.”

Tears started flowing and Henrietta was sobbing. Basil went into another room so no one could see his tears.  Robby walked up to his grandmother. “Grandma, you need a hug. I don’t have a grandmother and I want you to go home with me. My sisters will be so happy to meet you.  I tell everyone we have a million aunts, but we don’t really. I have a little brother and he needs a grandmother to look up to when he is so young.”

“Brady is that the way you feel too?”

“It is, Ma.”

“Basil, did you hear that?”

“I did. What do you want to do?”

“It’s your decision.”

Basil never hesitated. “Brady, give us two days to say good bye to a few friends. If you can afford to get us out there where you live I’m sure we can find something to do to feed ourselves so we aren’t a burden.”

“No burden, Pa … no burden at all.”

“Brady, what can we take with us?”

“As much as you want.  Just take the best of your clothes and keepsakes. Maybe we’ll go shopping in San Francisco and outfit you with new clothes for the warmer weather we have. I expect you will want to live with me, Berta, and all your grand kids.  We have plenty of room. Robby sleeps with the men out in the stables of the presidio when he is home. He does eat with the family, though.  His mother is a good cook. You show me what you want to take and I’ll buy a trunk or two if you need it.”

“That’s going to be awful expensive.”

“Ma, I can afford it. Berta and I have done well. We have barely used our personal wealth after we sold the freight business that we were involved in four years ago.”

“What is it you did again?”

“It was a freight line. You know, mules and wagons and things like that.”

“Oh. Did you have a lot of help?”

“Yes, I guess before the railroad went through I had sixty men.  Forty of them were muleskinners on the trails and the rest were in and around the yard taking care of the animals and equipment.”

“Oh.” His mother looked at him and he was positive she thought he was bragging. When their belongings were sorted out what they wanted to take with them, his parents had little to show for their life of trying to make do.

Brady’s Ma went around to her neighbors to say good bye. His Pa took him to a small bar where he knew some of his friends hung out.  “Brady, I’d like to buy all of those there a drink of good whisky.  It wasn’t often I could set up anything, say nothing about the good stuff.”

“I will, Pa, if you answer me one question. When I left, Ma was on your tail and on mine the same as she was with you. That was the main reason I left. I was disgusted because you let her run all over you and she was nagging me the same way. What happened? You seem to be very close to each other now.”

“We are. Back then, some of it was my fault and I brought it on myself.  I got to looking at another woman and Henrietta found out about it. She was going to leave me, but I decided I loved her and I begged her to forgive me.  She almost kicked me out and I took the hell she gave me so I could stay. Every bit of her ragging on me was deserved. But she shouldn’t have done to you what she was doing to me. She did this to you to make me hurt all the more.

“When we finally realized you had run away for good, I told her so and we came to grips with both being wrong. She changed overnight and we have suffered together all these years not knowing what happened to the son who left because his home wasn’t a good one. You can’t imagine the happiness you brought to us today when we realized it was you who sat in our pew. We thought for sure you were dead and then there you were.”

”I should have realized what I was doing to you. Pa, I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be, we are together now and that makes it right.”

Pa did some bragging to the bar patrons. He didn’t get much of it right, but he was happy and Brady was too. Pa was proud of his long lost son. Brady was bigger than him and wore a wide Stetson hat which was so unusual for in this part of the country.  Brady was tanned and his eyes had lines around the corners from squinting in the bright California sunshine. 

Pa set up the bar twice.  When it was hinted he do it again he said, “Sorry men, but Brady is transporting me and the wife across the country. We are going on a train all the way to the far ocean.  I’ll have the old lady write and tell you all about our travels. I probably won’t ever see you again, but that’s life.”

They left the bar with well wishes. Robby had stayed with his grandmother while Basil and Brady were at the saloon. When the two came in Robby was sitting in one of the chairs and Henrietta was sitting across the room.  “Brad, Robby said you have killed several people.  That’s terrible.”

“I know, but I’m still alive. Sometimes it is necessary to protect yourselves and family. We live now where the land is a lot more settled and where there are not as many bad persons.”

“That’s good.  I don’t want to see anyone killed.”

“I’ll keep you and Pa safe, Ma. Not to worry.” 

—————————

The train stopped in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and was there an hour before it got on its way. Brady and family got down and stretched their legs. Robby did as every inquisitive young person did. He would wander around and if anyone spoke to him he would strike up a conversation.

“Dad, I think I saw a woman I knew years ago get onto the train. I don’t remember her name.  She was dressed nice and had another woman with her.”

“You don’t remember who she was?”

“Nope, but I’ll see her in the dining car later. I’ll ask her who she is.”

“Don’t be rude, son. Be nice because she may not want to be remembered by a kid.”

“I will, Dad.” It was at dinner time. Robby gobbled up his food and went looking for the person he thought he should remember. Robby’s grandmother was looking past Brady following Robby’s path to the far end of the dining car.

“Brady, there is a woman hugging and kissing Robby sitting at the last table in the car. Now the other woman is hugging him.  These must be the women he thought he knew.”

“Pay no attention, Ma, he’ll be back and tell us all about it. Are the women pretty?”

“Pretty and they look rich, the smallest one especially. Their traveling clothes are beautiful. You probably will know them, too.”

“Probably.” He knew he would find out who they were from Robby.  He had made friends with everyone in Cheyenne and those connected to the freight line. 

Henrietta kept her eyes on the Robby while Brady finished his meal. “Robby has sat down with those women. They must have ordered another dessert, because he is eating pie with them. They must know him well because they are asking him all kinds of questions.” Ma paused and then said, “Here they come, Brady. They have big smiles on their faces.”

Robby got back before the others. “Dad, I told you I saw someone I knew. It is Eva and Addie. They used to run the diner and sneak me an extra donut when I went in there.”

Brady got up and turned around just as Little Eva jumped into his arms. “Hi Brady, boy are we happy to see you. Can I kiss you?  It must be six or seven years since I’ve seen you.”

“And I would like a kiss from you, too?”  Eva kissed him on the cheek and he did the same to her. “Addie, you get the same. How is Paddy?”

“Paddy isn’t with me any longer. Heart attack, you know. He was a wonderful man and I miss him terribly.”

“Eva, where is Mr. Freeman, is he traveling with you?”

Eva shook her head, “No, he died a month before Paddy.  I was with Addie when Paddy died. Paddy was a father to me and I miss him as much as I did my husband. Addie and I are both widows now. I had a letter from Charley and I wrote back telling her what happened. Guess what?  We both got telegrams from her and she has invited us to come out and live near her.”

“So, Eva, you went back to Cheyenne after all?”

“No I didn’t. I had to get off the train from Denver and that’s when Robby saw us getting on your train. I’m glad we found you. Neither of us has traveled much alone and we are confused when we have to make changes. People are willing to help, though when we are brave enough to ask questions.”

“Mr. Freeman didn’t take you anywhere?”

“Oh we traveled a lot, but he always had his secretary make the arrangements so I didn’t know much about traveling until now.”

I turned to my parents, “Ma and Pa, these two ladies were our great friends for a long while. They built a diner and bakery next to the freight yard after they got out of their former line of work. Addie married one of the men who worked for me and eventually Eva met a mine owner from Denver and married him, leaving Cheyenne for Denver, Colorado. It has been many years since I have seen either.”

Brady finally got the time to introduce his parents, “Addie and Eva, these are my parents, Henrietta and Basil Boyd. They lived in New York and I went to visit after being gone for twenty-four years.  We are just getting re-acquainted after being apart so long.”

“Yeah, our son was only sixteen when he ran away. He is a stranger to us. Bad times came on us recently. He has rescued us from going to the city poor farm. We are going to live with him.”

“Brady does tend to be there when people need rescuing. Not only did he and his crew rescue Addie and me when we needed it, but also the woman Charley we are visiting. She and her brother, Hank were stranded in a bad situation when she was only fifteen. She and Berta, his wife, took them in and they have stayed with him first as helpers and then later as partners. I’ll bet he will have you feeling about them as we do.” Eva turned to Brady, “Brady, has Berta been behaving herself since she went west?  I heard there was one incident on the way.”

“We won’t go into that. There has been no need.”

“I’ll bet she keeps her pistol handy though.”

“Yeah, she does.”

Ma and Pa Boyd looked puzzled at these remarks. Robby came forth with, “Ma killed a robber on the train when we came west four years ago.  Aunt Charley shot another one and Dad finished him off. Dad is a real whiz with a shooting iron.  Not as fast now as Uncle Hank is though.”

“Robby, that’s enough about shooting. I’ve told you this before.”

“I know Dad, but Grampa and Gramma have to know you will always protect them.”

“I have promised and that’s enough. No more talking about it.” Addie and Eva sat with Brady and Robby whenever they showed in the cars.  At lunch time, they ate at the same table in the dining car. His parents, Basil and Henrietta were concerned for Brady’s wife.  These two women were almost too familiar, although they never saw them touch each other.  It was a long journey.  Brady talked to the two women, but in reality, he wanted his parents to learn what he knew about the west.

Occasionally Robby would inject a few facts of what he knew. “Grampa, this pass we are traveling through is where a wagon train got snowed in for the winter. Some of the adults ate some of their kids. Isn’t that awful?”

Brady spoke, harshly, “Robby, stop it, they don’t need to know about things like that. Remember how you couldn’t sleep for a nights when you heard about it?”

“I’m sorry. I forgot.” And then when the place where the train was held up when Brady and everybody first traveled to California, he told all.  He did pick a time when Brady wasn’t present. Eva spilled the beans when she later asked Brady about it.  She thought it was not surprising that Berta and Charley had been involved. Basil and Henrietta had a good idea of what Brady had gone through a bare four years before.

”Brady, is this true about your wife? She sounds dangerous to be around.”

“Ma, she is dangerous to those who go against her family. You might as well know, the first time I met her she had just killed an outlaw who had only minutes before shot and killed her brother. Berta is a strong woman and has what it takes to survive. You will be very safe in her care when you are with her more than with anyone else.”

“Brady, I’m wondering if Basil and I were wise to come out here to live with you. There is all this killing and robberies and so many dangers.”

“Ma, try it for a year. Some of this is taken out of context by Robby the way he tells you about things. If you want to return to New York, I’ll purchase a cottage for you to live in with enough money to live well. But I think you will love it here. I know Pa will. He seems to be interested in everything.”

“Oh, I’ll stick with you. Everything is just so different from the way it is back home.”

“That’s because New York was settled untold years ago. That was by the Dutch and it wasn’t even English at the time. There have been three wars fought in that length of time in your area.  The French wanted it and fought through where you were living. You could have been killed by Indians because the French used them to plunder and kill —the same with the English during the revolutionary war.  Then we fought amongst ourselves.  I believe the Confederates tried to invade from Canada fairly close to you as well.

“We have just left an area where that is happening right now. I have a family and I want them safe. The Midwest is going to be bathed in blood for the next few years. I hope to escape it.”

“Well, I guess I feel better about what you are doing. It is just so different.”

Chapter Ten

Charley, herself, was waiting at the station when they came down off the train in San Francisco. Tom and her Uncle Harry were standing next to her. After hugs from Charley with Addie and Eva, Brady had a chance to introduce his parents.

Charley let them know how they were to get to the Hacienda and Presidio. “Brady, I’ve bought a half interest in one of the packets that travels the coast. Jim Bellows will have his Captain’s papers next year and the packet will go from here as far south as San Diego for a regular route. Jim will become the Sloop’s Captain. I’ll have the de Castillo Grant logo painted on it before it leaves our home port.

“We should be home in a couple of days. Jack has a coach waiting for us if the wind holds. Call it four days before you are home to the mission. Addie and Eva, what are your plans?”

“We want to be with you. You said you had a house in the village?”

“Yes, but for now I’m taking you with me to the mission at the grant. There will be room enough for everyone to ride. The coach Jack has repaired used to be a stage coach. Brady and Robby can ride outside with Uncle Harry and Tom. Today we have a four hour wait for the tide, so we will have a chance to catch up on news.  We can walk to the de Castillo office around the corner from here. Tom and Uncle Harry will move your luggage to the packet.”

“Ma and Pa don’t have that much, only one trunk.”

Eva spoke up, “Addie and I have more than that. We have five trunks in all and a few suit cases.”

“Robby, you might as well help Tom load. You know where the office is. Come there when you finish.”

“No Dad, I’m going stay on the boat to talk with Jim.”

“Make sure you don’t bother him. After all, as first mate of the ship, he has duties.”

“I know that.”

 Tom had a carriage at the office door when it was time to board the packet. Tom had this to say as everyone climbed off the dock onto the ship, “We are going to hit a bit of rough weather, but remember, the more wind means the less time you will be aboard. Harry gets a bit sea sick every time, and some of you may too. You just never know until you get aboard.”

Jim came into the common room to meet Brady’s mother and father. No food was served, but the passengers did have a table and bolted down chairs to sit on to consume their lunches if they had packed a basket before coming on board.

There was a tugboat that pushed the ship away from the docks out into the bay and it immediately caught the wind. It was a fair wind and soon the packet was cutting through the water heading down the coast at least a mile out from land. Jim came into the common area and inquired if everyone was comfortable.  “I know you passengers must feel crowded, but the ship is mainly for delivering mail. On larger ships you would have comfortable rooms, but in this case the ship isn’t large enough to provide.

“With knowing the winds off the coast, we should reach our destination about noon tomorrow. There are too many variables to explain so I can only estimate. You could ride a horse and be there before that if you pushed it, but this is a convenient way to travel. I’ll only be in port long enough to drop and pick up mail for points farther south. Enjoy your trip.”

Robby explained a little more to his grandparents. “Grampa, usually there would be a small boat that would meet this ship in the ocean off the bay where we are going.  But this is a ship owned by the de Castillo Grant and there are two partners on board so the ship will go into the bay and unload onto a dock. Otherwise, you would have to clamber down a ladder to the waiting boat.

“Next year Dad and the Grant will be purchasing a steam packet. That will enter the ports as they come to them because under steam the ship doesn’t have to worry about having wind to drive the ship. The new ship will be bigger than this one and carry many more passengers. Jim will be the Captain. I think this is his last trip on a sailing ship. He is transferring to a steam ship when he returns to San Francisco. Eventually all of the ships the grant owns will be steam. They will have to be to compete.

“You seem to know this Jim very well?”

“Since we first came out here. He was holding horses for a robber band that were trying to rob us at Uncle Hank’s wedding. Uncle Pete didn’t shoot him because he could see that he really wasn’t one of them.”

“What happened to the robbers? Did they get much loot?”

“Nope, they got a few feet of ground in their faces before dark that night.”

“You mean they got killed?”

“I’m not supposed to talk about what happened. I will tell you that the sheriff came next day and said everyone did just right because those outlaws had caused trouble before.”

“Robby, tell me what happened?” 

Robby hesitated and made a decision.  “Okay, but don’t tell Dad I told you. Those bad men rode right into the courtyard at the Hacienda and threatened to rob everyone and maybe do bad things to the women there. Don Pedro had a dress sword on because it was Aunt Elena’s wedding. He went after the man who was told to kill him and ran him through the throat. Uncle Hank had his pistol out and he killed the leader and another robber in the blink of an eye. Dad shot and killed two more robbers almost as fast. And then Uncle Pete chased down the last one and shot him.  Then he went after Jim, caught him and said that he was safe and wouldn’t be killed.

“Aunt Charley talked to Jim and found out he knew all about ships and sailing because he grew up on the coast of New Hampshire. He was an orphan because his father died on the trip to California. Jim brought Aunt Charley to the village and introduced her to Captain Shaw who was broke and had two sailing ships that were tied up in court. Aunt Charley made a deal with the Captain and that’s how the grant came to have a bunch of ships.”

“What did she want with ships?”

“To carry stuff. They started out carrying bird crap for fertilizer for the Grant and then lumber. These are all the things the Grant needed. The Grant owns a cattle boat now because Uncle Hank has a cattle ranch. We’ll get on horses and ride over there soon. Uncle Jack has mules and wagons to carry stuff from the grant to the coast. Well, all except the cattle. Those are driven. There is trail kept open for that purpose to get to the corrals. Other ranchers use it too, but the Grant owns the land where the cattle are held, waiting shipment.”

The packet was three hours late arriving longer than Jim’s estimate. The wind had changed and Jim had to order the crew to tack. Robby explained this to his grandparents. Luckily, no one was seasick during the journey. Basil and Henrietta where glad when the ship ceased moving so violently. They had trouble keeping their balance when they first stepped onto the dock.

Eva said she enjoyed the trip. “My husband took me to England for a vacation a year and a half ago. I even saw the queen in a coach. Someone said she sometimes went shopping. Why would a queen want to go shopping? Someone else said she was traveling to another one of her castles. Who’s to know?”

The de Castillo warehouse was close to the docks. It was emblazoned with the logo, “de Castillo Grant” on the dockside end of it. The guests were loaded onto an open carriage, leaving Tom and Harry to bring the trunks to Charley and Pete’s home. This wagon had the same logo on the tailboard. The trunks on the wagon would not be unloaded, but would start in early morning for the grant driven by one of Jack Abraham’s teamsters.

Charley said, “We will start for the Grant later than I planned tomorrow morning because we arrived here later than we planned. We will be staying over one night with a friend of ours who always has a bed for us and any guests traveling with me. We’ll have a decent supper and a hearty breakfast before we leave there.” This was said as the carriage drove up to door of a beautiful home.

The front door opened immediately before the carriage came to a stop and Daniele came running out to greet her mother. “Daddy is home, playing with Davey. He said you would be home today, but we thought you wouldn’t be because the wind was wrong.”

“You can thank Jim for that. The captain gave the command of the ship over to Jim. He can get more distance faster out of a ship than most captains even though he is only a mate. Now let us get inside so I can introduce my guests to your father. Two of these ladies he knows and the other two are family of Brady.”

Daniele questioned, “Oh. Mom, where is Robby? Isn’t he with you?”

 “Yes he is. He’ll be here in a few minutes.” Charley turned the other people, “I swear that child is in love with Robby. He treats her like a little queen. It has always been like that. It is too bad there is eight years between them. Let’s go inside and meet Pete and our son Davy. Davy’s name is David.”

—————————

Many years ago, Eva invested some money in goods to fill Charley’s first warehouse. This was back in Cheyenne when she had a settlement forced onto the man who owned her. It was only natural that she wanted to do the same now.  Charley said no, but suggested that she and Addie build a bakery and operate it much as they did at that time. The question was where to build?

She talked it over one day when Charley was at the Grant. “I could build it in town and be busier than hell, or I can build it between the Hacienda and the Presidio. It isn’t a matter of making a lot of money. My husband left me with an amount I will never be able to spend.”

“Build it on the Grant, then. Your friends are all here, except for me and Pete. We never stay away for very long. We often leave Daniele and Davy with Berta anyway when Pete and I travel up to ’Frisco. You can get to know Hank and Elena better.  Elena is so sweet and they have a son.  Don Pedro is so happy because the name and the de Castillo Grant needed a direct heir and Elena has provided. I’m sure you will at least break even if you open a stopping place.”

“It is a bit barren out here.”

“Eva, not so much as you might think. Don’t forget there are the horse races that Hank manages through the fall and winter.  The road where the Grant buildings are is a main road coming up from the south. Word will get out and you will be busy. Another thing, you won’t have to go far for ingredients.  Brady is hooked on those raisins he grows.

“Once people get a taste of filled cookies and raisin pies, you’ll be packaging them for shipment up to ’Frisco. They had better have the Grant logo on them which will be one more thing to make Don Pedro proud and happy. We have walnut trees that are beginning to drop nuts now. In the back of our minds is some cheese making if we had someone who wants to have a dairy farm.

“We would have done this before, but there is just so much we can attempt with the people we have. We have Indians to do a lot of the work and are quite handy and easy to train, but they need to have someone to guide them.”

“Charley, are these Indians slaves? I know what it is to be owned by someone.”

“Oh no, Eva. Their ancestors were, but none of the ones on the grant are now. They can come and go freely. Out by the lake there is a large village where they live. They do ask what we want them to do and they do the work we show them that needs doing.  If the workers need work clothes, we furnish the material. That is usually white cotton. Those that work steadily, we give them pretty-colored material and they make their own dress clothes. 

“We furnish material for shelters. They were built mostly of stick and mud when we came four years ago, but now they are made of adobe. Mostly the villagers grow their own food. They have goats and chickens and they have a section of irrigated land where they grow their own crops. They care for their older members as good, or better than most of our own people care for theirs.

“Why do they stay?”

“Eva, they stay because this is their home and the home of their ancestors. Originally, those ancestors were slaves and worked terribly hard and often whipped to make them work faster. The women were abused and taken from their mates at the pleasure of the owners. Over time, there were less and less children and what few women left had fewer and fewer children. It was a terrible existence for man and woman of Indian blood.”

“How did you learn this?”

“Eva, I could say it was Sylvio who is the cousin of Don Pedro. He is the one who manages the Indians and guides them in planting and harvesting. But there is one of us who wanted to know all about the Indians and set out to learn their language and now knows their history.  He was in the fields with them when the fields were planted the first year we were here. The Indians adore him. They were terribly sad when Brady moved him around to other areas of the grant to learn some of the other operations.”

“Charley, who are you talking about?”

“It is Robby, Berta and Brady’s son. They are training Robby to take over the oversight of the Grant like Brady is doing now. If you build here on the Grant, Robby will work with you for a bit to learn the bakery business. This is of course all in the future. Robby will some day go away to school for a more formal education and then come back here and be the manager. Berta and Brady have never let up and we all hope they can take it easy some day.

“What about you, Charley; when are you going to take it easy?”

“When my family gets grown. I’ll probably split some of my business in two with whom ever I choose for a partner. I’ll keep the warehouses and I think it will be Jim Bellows taking over the shipping part of the business. He is one smart individual.  I have been so lucky in so many things in my lifetime. I first met Brady and then I fell in love with Pete. I have two beautiful children. I think I have given something back as much as I have taken from the friends who have helped me.

“A bigger chance for the future opened up for all of us when Hank came looking for some financial help. Here we are and the future is so bright. With you and Addie here, it is that much brighter.”

“This is all pretty enticing.”

“Eva, I hope so. Both of you should look around for a new mate to spend your life with.”

“Charley, what about our past?  Both Addie and I came out of a crib down in whore alley.”

“Nothing to worry about. Those of us who know won’t mention it. You have been married to good solid citizens. No one will look back in your past beyond that. How about Tom Samson? He is about as solid as they come. He is a lot younger than your previous husband.”

“He knows about me.”

“Yes and he helped free you from that time of your life too.”

“Charley, I’ll keep it in mind. Is there anyone here who would be good for Addie. Paddy was really old.”

“Eva, how about my Uncle Harry, he is getting up there, but he hasn’t slowed down at all. Jack and Sarah could get replacements for both as drivers of the freight wagons. Both would like to help you build a bakery, I know they would.”

“Charley, who should I speak to about building a business?”

“Brady and Berta. Delores will have us all up to the Hacienda for dinner to meet Brady’s parents. You could run it by him then. Tell him it was at my suggestion.”

“I should have known. They were the two who okayed the diner and bakery when Addie and I went into business before. I certainly have enough funds now to design and build an attractive building to house something like this.”

Ten years later

Daniele swung down from the palomino that her uncle Hank had given her for her sixteenth birthday. “Aunt Berta, Robby is taking an awful long time to get here. He isn’t at the Hacienda yet. I thought maybe he came to see you here at the mission first.”

“No, we haven’t seen him yet. He’ll be along. We’re all going up to the Hacienda soon.  Eva and Addie are both going to be there. Your great Uncle Harry won’t be far from Addie so he will be with her.  Your Uncle Tom and Eva’s two will be scurrying by their side. They closed the Castillo bakery for the day. This is a big day for everyone here on the grant. Brady’s father and mother are just as anxious to see him as you and we are.”

“May be, but not for the same reason.”

“Daniele, you are so young. Maybe Robby doesn’t feel the same way about you as you do about him as you do.”

“He does, I just know he does. He said so in the last letter he sent. I got it only five days ago. He has loved me forever. If you write a proposal down and send it to your love, it has to be true.”

“I know he has. Oh well there is about the same age difference between you two as there was between your mother and Pete when he proposed to her. She was even a bit younger than you are now. They have had a wonderful life together.”

“We will too, you’ll see.” Berta looked at the young woman who was going to soon be her daughter-in-law. She was beautiful … no other word for it. She was smart as well. 

When Daniele told Brady about her plans to be Robby’s wife when she was only twelve, Brady said to her. “Daniele, to be Robby’s life partner you have to be worthy of him. I would suggest that you get busy and find something to do that will let you walk beside him with your head up. Robby is going to help manage the Grant after he gets his schooling finished. He is going to be in the east at a college starting next month. While he is gone you should apply yourself.”

“But I am so young.”

“Yes, you are young, but you should know that Robby started on this path I have set him on when he was only ten. You were only two then. I have pushed him but he has gloried in every minute of it. I could see he liked the Indians so I suggested he learn their language and their history. If you want to be his wife you should think of something to do with the grant that helps us keep it together.”

Daniela started to say something and then paused before saying, “I’ll talk to Mama and tell her what you have just said. She hasn’t said I can’t date Robby when I get a little older and you haven’t either. She’ll point me in the path to get me what I want.”

“That is as it should be. Good luck.”

Brady had discussed this with Charley. They both agreed that the love went both to and from their two children. “We’ll see if it continues. I heartily approve. It is one more way the grant will continue if the second generation continues to be involved.”

Charley never hesitated, “I’ll start Daniele in the warehouse office as soon as Robby goes east. Shipping and managing the warehouse has been one of the most profitable segments of the Grant’s endeavors. I’ll make sure she learns some about the shipping business from Captain Shaw and Kate at the boarding house. Theirs too was a fine match when they married. I think Davy will be the one to take over from Pete and me someday. But Daniele will know what it is all about and needs to if she and Robby get as far as becoming man and wife.

Robby did come home during the summer months and the two were together continually. He only stayed a short time between his last two years. He was writing a book about the de Castillo Grant and was working with a publisher to get it into print. Daniele was sad, but didn’t whine about it. Pete, Charley, Davy, and Daniele did take a vacation at Christmas time to visit Robby for five days when Daniele was fourteen and Robby twenty-two.

Robby was with Daniele the whole time while the others saw some sights. Charley let the two bundle in the same bed. He proposed to Daniele in front of Charley and Pete shortly before they had to get onto the train for the return home. The adults still wondered, though. Robby was encouraged when Charley hugged him.

Now Robby was coming home to the de Castillo Grant and to the young woman who would make his life complete … to the woman who also was niece to Don Henry and Elena. Soon the Boyd and de Castillo name would combine and create a bloodline for those yet unborn to carry the de Castillo grant into the future. Antecedents from far off Spain in the de Castillo line, in the unknown Horshack line, and of course in the unknown Boyd line, but they were of American immigrant stock. A nice research project for one of those yet unborn descendants. 

Epilogue

George Cosgood had gotten weaker soon after the wedding of Daniele and Robert Boyd. He said he wanted to have a permanent resident in the mission with his good friends Berta and Brady Boyd. Both were eager to comply and made him comfortable in a couple of rooms high up in the building where he could catch a view of the grant he had come to love. Always Berta was the one who brought his meals and made time to talk to him. She checked in on him several times during the day.

One particular day, he was serious at first. “Berta, come sit near me. I don’t think I’ll be talking to you much longer. The pains in my chest are more pronounced each morning. How I have enjoyed knowing you and Brady all these years. Oh how I remember you set the town of Cheyenne on its ears. We’ll talk about that later.

“I’ve slowly, when able, to make out a list of simple bequests. I’m aware that Charley has kept track of every penny I have spent on the grant to move it forward. That wasn’t my intention because I gave every bit of it freely and happy to do so.  It wasn’t necessary to keep track of what I’ve spent. I want you and her to see that the account is divided equally between the various businesses you and the others have created and promoted.  This is for the grant’s use in the future.

“And what a future you have created. Hank, with a beautiful wife and their two boys. He does love his ranch with the cattle and fine horses and has stopped trying to expand.  He hasn’t tried to get bigger than what meets his needs as a family man, thus leaving him time to enjoy life. He only has a few Indians in and around his house, but let him and Elena go over to the crop-land to see Elena’s Uncle Sylvio. The Indians stop work and gather around Elena and Hank with joy as their Don to whom they give allegiance.

“There is Sarah and Jack. They have made such a success of the freighting business. They are well known throughout the area. They worried when Harry and Tom left them to take up with Addie and Eva. But then Tex and some of the other freighters transferred out here. Strange that the syndicate that purchased your business went belly-up so fast. They should have stuck with some business they knew something about.

“Harry finally found some one to love with Addie and then Tom married Eva. Brady’s parents coming and working with them in the bakery has helped everyone. Brady doesn’t have to watch over them that closely, and they like the independence. Both the old ones have gotten younger it seems. They are happy and can be near Brady and see what a success he has made out of his life. Basil gives you much of the credit and knows how close to each other you are. We agree on that.

“Berta, what an idea to come out here to California and keep the same partnerships. You all worked so well back in Wyoming, why break it up? You sure have your own strengths.

“Especially Charley and Pete. She came to you a very young woman and looked around. From the first, she wanted to parallel you and Brady. She has made this, the de Castillo Grant, the land of opportunity. I’m not going to mention you and Brady because you have out stripped everyone in my book. I’d say you have all had vision.

“The last I’m going to say on the subject is, I do still have a small estate and that goes to you and Brady. Others shouldn’t feel cheated, for without you two, many here on the grant wouldn’t be alive or in such a comfortable situation. I’ve looked on you as the children I never had.”

George paused, “Enough of that. Now I’d like to sit here and remember things. How you came into Cheyenne and shocked the town by appearing in those whipcord britches and mounted on a mule and riding astride. I was proud of you.

“Another time when you fired off a pistol and had everyone in the street get the attention of that storekeeper, Sawyer, who wouldn’t pay his bill. How the marshal and I laughed over that episode. It was a little unsettling when Brady walked out to meet Sarah’s husband, Tay Frechette, but you had faith. Weren’t you terribly worried you would lose him?”

“No, I had the utmost confidence in him. I did my part in speaking to Frechette just before the two men met. I told him I had killed his brother and that Brady would kill him. I wanted to shake him up and maybe I did. Brady and I were a pair in the mountains and we were a pair in the town and we are a pair now.”

“You certainly are. Brady did some of the most surprising things. The marshal was going to get on Brady’s butt the night he left Sarah’s house blocking the street.  He was primed and when he went looking for Brady, both he and the house were out at the Newell property.

“You know it isn’t often that the girls down in Crib Alley make good. Addie and Eva did, and they do come and visit me here sometimes and are my friends. They still talk about how Brady invited a bunch of them to the dance at the freight yard. It wasn’t known, but after their owner was run out of town, the other saloon owners treated their girls better. It has been your influence as much as any who gave them the will to bury their past behind them. Now their bakery has been a real asset to the grant. ”

Berta saw a grimace on George’s face and knew he was in pain. “Can I get you anything?”

“No, but maybe I’ll rest a bit now.  There is more I want to say. Maybe you will have a few minutes this afternoon.”

“I certainly will, George. Brady will be here with me.”

“I’d like that.” Berta leaned down and kissed him on his cheek and ran her hand down the other one. George reached up and squeezed her hand. Berta was crying when she went out the door to send an Indian for Brady to come home to the mission.  She made it urgent. Composing herself she returned to his room, but George’s soul had flown in that short of period time.

Berta met Brady at the door. Tears were streaming down her face. He knew, “George is gone isn’t he?”

Berta could only nod. “I spoke at length with him this morning. I sent word for you. I was only gone a few minutes. When I returned, he was turned away from me. I touched his face and realized he had left us. Honest, I wasn’t gone ten minutes.”

“Berta, I talked with him last evening. I knew he was close because he told me so. He said to kiss you and hold you close for he knew you loved him.  He thanked me for having the chance to come out here and stay with us. He passed on a short message as I was leaving him.”

“What was it?”

“He spoke just as if you were standing beside me, and I quote, ‘Money is good but friends like you two, Brady and Berta, are so much better.’ I think that was his goodbye to both of us.”

“We’ll miss him, Berta. Twenty-four years we have known him. I suppose he is the first of many friends and family that this will happen to in our time.  Don Pedro is getting feeble. We’ll miss him too, although we haven’t been that close. He did tell me that it was the things you and I did for the Grant that returned it to its former glory. I think personally, we have done a better job than he or his ancestors ever did with it. He has been happy, though, to live long enough to see two children born of Hank and Elena and that the kids are both boys.

“Sylvio is older than Don Pedro, but he too is slowing down.  He has been as happy as, or more so, than his cousin, Don Pedro. We not only made it possible to return his beloved Grant to production, but also to make a great life for his Indians. He has had a family to love, too, with Marta giving him two children.  She will continue to live in his home near the Indians. That’s a promise I made him a few months ago. 

“Within a few years, my mother and father will go. I thank you for urging me to go to find them and bring them into our home. They were so desperate at the time and within days of being homeless. Both found work at the bakery with Eva and Addie. Ma doing much of the decorating and Pa doing the packing.”

“Brady, you were ready to go hunt for them. Thank God they were still alive to see what their son had accomplished in life. I felt you had to do this when I could see you were uneasy about something.”

“I can understand why. We have always traveled in the same channels of our minds. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”

“It does, doesn’t it? Are there anymore deep thoughts in lurking there?”

“Berta, you might think me crazy, but I had a dream the other night. It wasn’t a bad dream or that good a one, either. It was a just dream that was clear as a bell and it was as though I were back in my past. It was before I met you, two or three weeks before, maybe.  I was traveling up the Missouri heading for the trapping grounds. I were leaning on the gunwale of the boat. I suppose my thoughts were maudlin. I was thinking I should tell someone about my travels, if I lived. At that time I had no one to tell and I wondered what my future would be if I survived to have one.

“That was the exact moment I made up my mind to get me, my stock and equipment, and go my own way to the mountains. When the boat grounded, there in mid river mud, that’s what I did. I jumped the mules and my horse off the boat and the captain took time to get me to shore with my equipment and I headed west alone. I traveled for weeks and then I met you the night you lost your brother. You know if this gets done, I guess this telling should be about not just me, but about us.”

“Brenda would love to do that. She helps me with the books keeping track of the crops you grow. She is studious and is so envious of her brother, Robby, him having a book published about the de Castillo Grant, bothers her. She wants to write a tale and have it published too.”

“We’ll have to think about it.”

“Brady, when we think about something it usually gets done. With Robby here taking over a lot of what you do, we can start this tale of ours anytime.”

“Bring it up to her. Get her away from those damned poems she writes when she has spare time which I don’t understand or reckon what they mean.”

“You do too understand what they are about. You just tease her about them. I saw you reading that bunch of sad poems one day and you had tears in your eyes.”

“Okay, but I wish sometimes you didn’t know me so well.”

“Brady, come here and hug me. Knowing you well is what has made me so happy for so many years with life going on and it is still part of that dream of yours. We’ll leave it to someone else to write the ending.

The End